Snap-fit Container Lid Assembly with Resilient Sealing Flanges
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing thermoplastic container assemblies fail to meet paint industry drop test standards and often experience leakage issues due to inadequate attachment mechanisms and lack of tamper evidence.
Innovation Solution
A container and lid assembly featuring a snap-fit engagement system with resilient flanges and flexible wiper protuberances to create a secure seal, along with a tamper-evident feature using a removable panel and pull tab, ensuring secure attachment and preventing leakage.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If conventional attachment mechanisms are used, then the container assembly is simple to manufacture, but it fails to meet paint industry drop test standards and experiences leakage
Solution Approach 1:
The attachment mechanism uses resilient flanges that can dynamically deform during assembly and sealing operations. The flanges bend inward during insertion, then spring back to create a secure snap-fit connection and sealing pressure, allowing the mechanism to adapt to assembly variations while maintaining reliable attachment
Solution Approach 2:
The resilient flanges act as flexible sealing elements that deform to create tight seals between the container, base, and lid. These flexible components conform to mating surfaces and maintain sealing pressure through elastic recovery, preventing leakage without requiring complex rigid sealing structures
2Reliability
If no tamper evidence feature is included, then the container assembly is simpler, but it cannot provide tamper evidence
Solution Approach 1:
The tamper evidence panel is pre-installed on the base during manufacturing, creating a sealed enclosure. This preliminary action ensures that any attempt to access the container contents must first breach the panel, providing automatic tamper evidence without requiring additional active components
Solution Approach 2:
The tamper evidence panel can utilize color or transparency changes to indicate tampering. When the panel is breached or removed, the visual appearance changes (e.g., from opaque to transparent, or from intact to broken), providing clear evidence of tampering through optical property changes
3Reliability
If resilient flanges and flexible wiper protuberances are added, then leakage is prevented and drop test standards are met, but manufacturing complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The resilient flanges and flexible wiper protuberances are created by changing the material parameters of the base and lid components. By selecting materials with appropriate elastic properties and designing features with specific geometric parameters (thickness, curvature, flexibility), reliable sealing is achieved through material deformation rather than complex assembly operations
Solution Approach 2:
The attachment and sealing functions are merged into a single integrated mechanism. The resilient flanges simultaneously provide snap-fit attachment and sealing, while the flexible wiper protuberances combine scraping and sealing actions, eliminating the need for separate attachment hardware and sealing elements
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 provides a secure, leak-proof attachment that meets paint industry drop test standards and offers tamper evidence, enhancing the reliability and safety of the container assembly for storing paints and other materials.
Implementation Method 1
an outwardly directed resilient exterior annular wall which engages the inward facing cavity of the rim of the tubular element in snap fit engagement; wherein as the annular exterior wall of the base enters the cavity in the rim of the tubular element, the bead deforms the exterior annular wall inwardly, and as the exterior wall of the base enters the cavity in snap fit engagement, the exterior wall returns to its normal position
Implementation Method 2
the flexible wiper protuberance on the ledge engages with the bottom of the exterior annular wall of the base, and the second flexible wiper protuberance above the ledge flexes against an outer side of the exterior wall, each creating a seal to act as barriers to prevent the contents of the interior containing space of the container from leaking
Implementation Method 3
as the lid is pressed upon the annular portion of the base, the upwardly extending resilient outer wall of each flange/protrusion element is deformed inwardly as it enters the top of the upward facing annular groove of the base by the inward protrusion/bead, and then once within the groove, returns back to its obtusely angular position thereby securing the lid in position within the groove
Data Source
AI summary
A thermoplastic container assembly includes an improved means of attachment between lid, base and container which meets paint industry drop test standards and includes tamper evidence, a transparent lid and improved means to prevent leakage between the base, lid and container. The container includes an upper extending tubular wall element extending from the perimeter of a bottom wall to an upper rim, the upper rim including an annular inward facing cavity formed by a reduced thickness area, which includes an annular inward facing upper bead positioned above the inward facing cavity. A base includes an annular portion having an outwardly directed resilient exterior annular wall which engages the inward facing cavity of the rim of the tubular element in snap fit engagement. A lid includes a plurality of spaced apart resilient flange/protrusion elements extending outwardly from a bottom portion of an annular portion of the lid; the flanges/protrusion elements being snap-fit engageable within an upward facing annular groove of the base.