Safety Closure with Removable Seal and Preferential Breaking Zones
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Existing closures for cosmetic and medical product containers fail to ensure product integrity after initial use, as aluminum foils curl up and contaminate the container, and alternative solutions with plastic disks do not adequately protect the product from external contamination.
Innovation Solution
A single-piece plastic internal element with a ring-shaped constraining portion and discoidal covering portion, featuring a removable seal with preferential breaking zones, which snaps onto the container neck, providing a secure seal and easy opening mechanism while preventing contamination.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If aluminum foil is used to seal the container, then product integrity is ensured initially, but the foil curls up and contaminates the container after use
Solution Approach 1:
The closure is divided into distinct functional segments: a rigid plastic disk for structural support and sealing, a removable seal with preferential breaking zones for secure closure, and a flexible membrane for product contact. This segmentation allows each component to perform its specific function optimally without interfering with others, preventing the curling and contamination issues experienced with aluminum foil.
Solution Approach 2:
The removable seal is designed as a disposable component that is destroyed during first use by breaking the preferential breaking zones. This ensures product integrity is maintained until opening, and the seal is discarded after use, preventing any potential contamination from reusable components.
2Object-generated harmful factors
If plastic disk is used instead of aluminum foil, then orderliness is improved, but product integrity cannot be ensured
Solution Approach 1:
The invention merges multiple functions into a single integrated closure assembly: the rigid plastic disk provides structural support and sealing, the removable seal with preferential breaking zones ensures secure closure and product integrity verification, and the flexible membrane maintains direct contact with the product. This combination achieves both orderliness and product integrity protection.
Solution Approach 2:
The preferential breaking zones are pre-designed into the removable seal to break during first use, providing a visible indication that the product has been opened. This preliminary action ensures product integrity is maintained until the moment of opening, and the breaking zones are positioned to allow easy detection of tampering.
3Reliability
If screw closure is used, then secure sealing is achieved, but operation is time-consuming and complex
Solution Approach 1:
The closure mechanism is segmented into a snap-fit assembly that can be quickly engaged and disengaged. The constraining portion with blocking means provides secure sealing through a simple snapping motion, eliminating the need for threading and tightening operations required by screw closures.
Solution Approach 2:
Instead of using a threaded screw mechanism that requires rotational tightening, the invention uses a snap-fit mechanism where the constraining portion engages with blocking means on the container. This inverted approach provides equal or superior sealing security with much simpler and faster operation.
Data Source
AI summary
A safety closure for containers comprising a cover (3) and an internal element (4), the internal element being formed of a constraining portion (5) and a covering portion (6), the covering portion and the constraining portion being at least partially interconnected by means of at least a first preferential breakage zone (7B) which, when intact, joins them to each other, the constraining portion being provided with blocking means at the neck of a container with which the closure is intended to be associated and with first constraining means (10) which removably attach the cover, the internal element having sealing means (12) which, at least when the seal is intact, preserve the container content integrity.