Tamper-Evident Liquid Container With Segmented Heat-Shrink Sleeve
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional tamper-evident seals on liquid containers are difficult to remove and may tear uncontrolled, making it hard to access the cap, especially if the sleeve needs to be completely removed before the cap can be opened.
Innovation Solution
A container design featuring a sleeve that covers the cap's extension portion but not the hinge, with strategically placed perforations allowing for easy removal of the sleeve while maintaining tamper evidence, including a first line of perforations that can be torn to expose the cap and optional second and third lines of perforations for easier separation, made from heat-shrinkable materials like polyolefin or PET.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If a conventional sleeve is applied around the cap to provide tamper evidence, then the tamper evidence function is achieved, but the sleeve becomes difficult to remove and may tear in an uncontrolled manner
Solution Approach 1:
The sleeve is divided into a first portion and a second portion by a first line of perforations. The first portion can be removed by tearing along the perforations to expose the extension portion of the cap, while the second portion remains on the container body. This segmentation allows controlled removal of only the necessary portion of the sleeve.
Solution Approach 2:
The first line of perforations extracts or separates the first portion of the sleeve from the rest of the sleeve and container. This allows the sleeve to be partially removed (just the first portion) rather than requiring complete removal, making the opening process easier and more controlled.
2Reliability
If the sleeve is applied around the cap to prevent removal, then security is improved, but the cap cannot be accessed until the sleeve is completely removed
Solution Approach 1:
The sleeve is segmented into removable first portion and retained second portion. The first line of perforations enables removal of only the first portion, which is sufficient to access the cap, eliminating the need to remove the entire sleeve and reducing the time required.
Solution Approach 2:
Instead of requiring complete removal of the entire sleeve (excessive action), the design allows partial removal of only the first portion (partial action) to achieve the goal of cap access. This reduces the time and effort required while maintaining security through the retained second portion.
3Reliability
If the sleeve covers the entire cap including the hinge, then tamper evidence is maintained, but the sleeve obstructs cap removal
Solution Approach 1:
The first line of perforations extracts the first portion of the sleeve, which can be removed to expose the extension portion of the cap. This allows cap removal to proceed without obstruction from the sleeve, while the second portion remains to provide continued tamper evidence.
Solution Approach 2:
By segmenting the sleeve into removable and retained portions, the design allows the removable first portion to be taken away to clear the cap opening path, while the retained second portion continues to cover and protect the hinge area for tamper evidence.
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
Enables easy and controlled removal of the sleeve, improving the appearance of the container when opened and ensuring tamper evidence without obstructing cap removal, while minimizing the amount of sleeve needed to be removed.
Implementation Method 1
made from heat-shrinkable materials like polyolefin or PET
Data Source
Figure 1~2
Figure 3~4
Figure 5~6
AI summary
The disclosure relates to containers, and in particular to containers for storing liquids. Example embodiments include a container (100) comprising: a body (101); a cap (102) connected to the body with a hinge, the cap (102) having an extension portion (106) below the hinge when the container is in an upright position; and a sleeve (103) encompassing the container (100), wherein an upper edge (104) of the sleeve (103) surrounds the cap (102) such that the sleeve (103) covers the extension portion (106) and the upper edge (104) extends along or below the hinge.