Segmented Dispensing Bottle with Pre-Cut Line for Waste Reduction
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Consumer containers, particularly skin lotion, liquid detergent, and toothpaste containers, often leave a significant amount of product unreachable at the bottom, leading to wastage and the need for cumbersome methods to extract the remaining contents.
Innovation Solution
A dispensing container with a pre-defined unbroken pre-cut line that separates into a larger upper and smaller lower portion, featuring a break seal mechanism and a snap-on cap cover for easy conversion into a reusable TSA-approved size, allowing access to the bottom contents without leakage.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Loss of substance
If consumers use traditional pump dispensers, then dispensing function is provided, but significant product remains unreachable at the bottom causing waste
Solution Approach 1:
The container is divided into two separable portions: an upper portion containing the pump dispenser and a lower portion containing the remaining product. This segmentation allows consumers to access the bottom content by separating the portions, eliminating the waste problem while maintaining ease of use.
Solution Approach 2:
The container transitions from a static sealed state to a dynamic separable state. The break seal mechanism enables the container to change from an intact configuration to a separated configuration, allowing consumers to access bottom content dynamically when needed.
2Ease of operation
If consumers break the container to access bottom content, then all product becomes accessible, but container integrity is compromised and leakage occurs
Solution Approach 1:
A pre-cut line is created along the container body before use, indicating exactly where the container should be separated. This preliminary preparation ensures that when consumers break the container, it separates cleanly at the predetermined location without compromising integrity or causing leakage.
Solution Approach 2:
The break seal mechanism acts as an intermediary element between the upper and lower portions. It provides a controlled separation interface that allows the container to be divided cleanly while maintaining reliability, preventing uncontrolled breaking and leakage.
3Ease of operation
If consumers remove the pump dispenser to access bottom content, then all product becomes accessible, but the container loses its dispensing function
Solution Approach 1:
The container is segmented into an upper portion with the pump dispenser and a lower portion with the product. This segmentation allows the upper portion to be removed for accessing bottom content while preserving the dispensing function in the separated upper portion, which can be reused for other purposes.
Solution Approach 2:
The upper portion containing the pump dispenser can be discarded after use, while the lower portion is recovered and reused as a smaller container. This allows consumers to access bottom content while recovering and reusing parts of the container system.
4Quantity of substance
If consumers use the full-size container for travel, then all product is available, but it exceeds TSA size limitations
Solution Approach 1:
The container is designed to separate into portions, with the lower portion being TSA-approved size for travel. Consumers can carry the smaller lower portion through security while having access to the full product by keeping the upper portion separately, thus satisfying both quantity and travel compatibility requirements.
Solution Approach 2:
The lower portion serves multiple functions: it can be used as a travel-sized container that fits TSA regulations, and it can also serve as the primary container when the upper portion is removed. This multi-functionality allows the same component to satisfy different size requirements for different situations.
Data Source
AI summary
A two-in-one dispensing bottle is disclosed. The bottle has a pre-cut unbroken section between its upper body portion and its lower body portion. The pre-cut unbroken section can be easily broken open with a twist and is covered with a break seal. A cover is designed to cover both the upper body portion and the lower body portion.