Container Closure with Segmented Snap Ring for Easy Refill
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing bottle cap designs, such as those with continuous snap rings, make it difficult for consumers to refill bottles as they require significant force to remove the cap, leading to potential waste and inefficiency.
Innovation Solution
A container closure system featuring a neck with alternating snap ring segments and voids around its circumference, allowing for easy engagement and disengagement of the cap through a rotating mechanism, which reduces the effort required to remove the cap by creating a 25% or more void length around the circumference, facilitating refilling.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Strength
If a continuous snap ring is used around the full circumference of the neck, then the cap engagement strength is improved and accidental separation is minimized, but the ease of cap removal for refilling deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The continuous snap ring is divided into multiple discrete snap ring segments positioned at regular increments around the neck circumference. This segmentation allows the cap to engage securely at multiple points while creating natural separation points that facilitate easier removal by reducing the cumulative engagement force across the entire circumference.
Solution Approach 2:
Instead of providing snap ring coverage across the full 360 degrees, the invention uses partial coverage with segments occupying only a portion of the circumference (e.g., 4-8 segments at 45-90 degree increments). This partial action provides sufficient engagement strength for normal use while leaving gaps that significantly reduce removal force requirements.
2Manufacturing precision
If snap ring segments are positioned at regular increments around the circumference, then the manufacturing precision is improved, but the device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The cap design incorporates multiple snap prongs that can engage with multiple snap ring segments, creating a universal interface that works regardless of the specific number or angular position of segments. This multi-functionality allows the same basic design to accommodate various segment configurations (4 segments at 90 degrees, 6 segments at 60 degrees, etc.), simplifying manufacturing while maintaining precision.
Data Source
Figure 1A~1B
Figure 2A
Figure 2B~2C
AI summary
A container closure system comprises a container 100 comprising a neck 120 having an outer surface, the neck including a plurality of snap ring segments 140 alternating with a plurality of snap ring voids 160 positioned around a circumference of the outer surface. The length of the circumference at which snap ring voids exist is 25% or more of the total length of the circumference. The plurality of snap ring segments is positioned at regular increments around a circumference of the outer surface. The system further includes a cap 14 comprising, among other things, a base 26 that comprises a plurality of snap prongs 16 arranged so as to engage and disengage the plurality of snap ring segments when the cap is rotated on the neck of the container. The plurality of snap prongs are configured to hold the cap on or release the cap from the container.