Sealing liner with protective rim for drawn metal closures
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing inserts for drawn metal closures, used in containers like aluminum screw caps, are prone to damage during production and application due to mechanical stress, affecting their appearance and functionality.
Innovation Solution
A polymer insert with an external protective rim that adheres to the closure, acting as a mechanical dissipator to absorb impact energy without damaging the metal, featuring an inclined internal surface and a groove that defines the protective rim's position during application.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Productivity
If conventional inserts are used in drawn metal closures, then the closures can be produced in large numbers, but the closures are damaged during handling due to mechanical stress
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies beforehand cushioning by creating a protective rim on the insert that protrudes beyond the metallic closure surface. This rim acts as a cushioning element that absorbs mechanical stresses during handling and application before they can reach the fragile upper portion of the closure where the metal curves to create the threaded cylindrical portion.
Solution Approach 2:
The protective rim serves as an intermediary element between the insert and the external environment (handling equipment, application mechanisms). It mediates the mechanical stresses by providing a more robust interface that can withstand handling forces without transmitting them to the vulnerable metallic closure structure.
2Loss of substance
If the upper portion of the closure is made thinner to reduce material, then production cost decreases, but the closure becomes more susceptible to damage during handling
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies local quality by concentrating the protective function in a specific local area - the protective rim at the periphery of the insert. This rim provides enhanced mechanical strength and damage resistance precisely where needed (at the interface with handling equipment) without requiring the entire closure structure to be thicker or more material-intensive.
Solution Approach 2:
The solution effectively creates a composite structure by combining the metallic closure with the protective rim material (which could be polymer, rubber, or other resilient materials). This composite approach allows the thin metallic closure to gain the strength and damage resistance of the more robust rim material at critical locations.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
The polymer insert enhances the robustness of closures to mechanical stress, preventing damage and maintaining appearance integrity during handling and application processes.
Implementation Method 1
a resilient closure lip (5), delimited by an internal surface (6) and an external surface (7)
Implementation Method 2
act as a mechanical dissipator, absorbing the mechanical energy from impacts
Data Source
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AI summary
The present invention relates to a coined closure insert (1) for a drawn metal closure (2) for bottles, comprising a bottom (3), able to be placed on the mouth (101) of a container (100), and a resilient closure lip (5) comprising an internal surface (6) inclined outwards in which the external surface (7) of the closure lip (5) is substantially perpendicular to the bottom (3) and comprises a groove (9) which defines an external protective rim (10), so as to reduce damage to the closure (2) from mechanical stress caused by handling during production and/or application to the bottles.