Protective Silicone Sleeves for Leaching and Breakage Control
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Solution Overview
Problem
Active lifestyles and parental concerns about chemical leaching from plastic containers, particularly bisphenol A and phthalates into liquids, necessitate a safer alternative to plastic that is also resistant to breaking, as glass containers are perceived as fragile.
Innovation Solution
A protective silicone sleeve designed to encase containers, providing protection against damage, leaching, and perceived fragility, suitable for various types of containers including glass, plastic, and metal, while being lightweight and flexible.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Object-affected harmful factors
If plastic containers are used, then chemical leaching occurs into liquids, but if glass containers are used, then breakage risk increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces a protective sleeve as an intermediary component that wraps around the container. This sleeve acts as a mediator between the user and the container, providing chemical protection when the container is plastic and physical protection when the container is glass. The sleeve material is selected to be chemically inert and physically protective, resolving the contradiction by adding a third element that addresses both harmful factors and reliability concerns.
Solution Approach 2:
The protective sleeve is made from composite or specially formulated materials that combine multiple properties: chemical inertness to prevent leaching, flexibility to accommodate different container types, and impact resistance to protect glass containers. By using materials with composite properties rather than single-material solutions, the patent simultaneously addresses both the chemical safety and breakage resistance requirements.
2Weight of moving object
If plastic containers are used, then lightweight and flexibility are improved, but chemical safety deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The protective sleeve acts as an intermediary chemical barrier that prevents direct contact between the liquid and the plastic container material. This allows the system to maintain the lightweight and flexible advantages of plastic containers while eliminating the chemical leaching hazard through the intermediate protective layer.
Solution Approach 2:
The protective sleeve is constructed from materials with composite properties that provide both chemical safety and physical protection. By layering this protective material over the plastic container, the system maintains the base container's lightweight and flexible characteristics while adding the chemical safety properties of the sleeve material.
Data Source
AI summary
Aspects of the invention include a sleeve or wrap for protecting a container. In certain embodiments, the sleeve or wrap is a protective encasement for protecting a container, such as a bottle. In certain embodiments, the sleeve or wrap includes a body with a lumen, wherein the body is configured for holding and/or containing the container. For instance, in one embodiment, the protective sleeve includes a tubular body and at least a first opening in the protective body that is adapted for receiving the container. In certain embodiments, the body of the sleeve includes silicone. Accordingly, in certain embodiments, the sleeve is a protective silicone sleeve that is adapted to hold and/or contain a container, thereby protecting the container from damage (e.g., breaking). Also provided is a system for protecting a container that includes a protective sleeve, as described above, and a container that is configured for being associated, e.g., fit within, the protective sleeve.