Segmented Flexible Carrier for Container Unitization
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional container carriers are heavy and material-intensive, requiring significant resources to manufacture while struggling to maintain structural integrity and aesthetics, especially when unitizing multiple containers at high speeds.
Innovation Solution
A flexible carrier with 15 discrete adjoining segments in container receiving apertures and center bands with internal apertures, reducing material usage while maintaining contact with containers to prevent abrasion and inversion, and featuring a handle for efficient handling and unitization.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Strength
If conventional flexible plastic ring carriers are used to unitize containers, then structural integrity and container engagement are maintained, but material usage and weight increase significantly
Solution Approach 1:
The carrier is divided into multiple discrete web segments (15 segments per aperture) that can stretch and conform to container shapes. This segmentation allows the material to be distributed more efficiently, providing structural integrity where needed while reducing overall material usage compared to continuous ring carriers.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent uses thin flexible web material that can stretch and conform to the containers being unitized. This thin film approach replaces traditional thicker plastic rings, significantly reducing material usage and weight while maintaining the ability to engage and secure containers through elastic deformation.
2Quantity of substance
If material is reduced to decrease weight and cost, then manufacturing efficiency improves, but structural integrity and aesthetic appearance deteriorate
Solution Approach 1:
The carrier design incorporates dynamic stretching capability where the web material can elastically deform during application to containers. The 15-segment aperture design allows the material to stretch uniformly, distributing stress dynamically across the structure. This dynamic behavior enables thin material to provide the same structural integrity as thicker material in static designs.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent changes the physical parameters of the material usage by transitioning from thick continuous rings to thin segmented webs with specific stretch characteristics. The material parameters (thickness, segment count, aperture geometry) are optimized to achieve the right balance between weight reduction and maintaining structural integrity during the stretching and recovery process.
3Ease of manufacture
If traditional oval, round, or rectangular apertures are used, then manufacturing is simple, but stretchability and material efficiency are limited
Solution Approach 1:
Each aperture is constructed from 15 discrete web segments instead of a continuous shape. This segmentation allows the aperture to stretch more effectively as each segment can deform independently, maximizing the stretchable band width. The segmented structure maintains manufacturing simplicity through die-cutting while dramatically improving stretchability for high-speed application.
4Productivity
If high-speed application is implemented, then productivity increases, but the risk of container loss and package deformation increases
Solution Approach 1:
The carrier utilizes dynamic elastic stretching that can occur rapidly during high-speed application. The web material's elastic properties allow it to stretch quickly over containers and then recover, creating secure engagement without requiring slow, careful application. This dynamic behavior ensures reliable container engagement even at high application speeds.
Solution Approach 2:
The thin flexible web material can rapidly deform and conform to container shapes during high-speed application. Its flexibility allows it to accommodate speed-related variations in positioning and tension, maintaining secure container engagement. The material's ability to stretch and recover quickly prevents container loss that would occur with rigid or less flexible materials at high speeds.
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 solution results in a lightweight, aesthetically pleasing package that effectively unitizes containers without breakage or sagging, enabling high-speed application while minimizing material waste and weight, with enhanced stretchability and secure container engagement.
Implementation Method 1
a combination of webs and container receiving apertures that permit opening up and generally even, distributed stretching for application to the containers
Data Source
AI summary
A flexible carrier for carrying a plurality of containers within a plurality of corresponding container receiving apertures formed in longitudinal rows and transverse ranks and a handle extending parallel to the rows of container receiving apertures. The handle is connected at attachment points along the carrier and corresponding thickened sections are included along the bands opposite the connection points.