Spout Assembly Sealing via Segmented Inner Ring and Cap
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing spout assemblies with no closure plate face challenges in maintaining sealing properties and require excessive force for opening, leading to difficulties in handling and potential deformation due to residual stresses from injection molding.
Innovation Solution
A spout assembly design featuring a cap with inner and outer regions of varying diameters and a contact ring, which engages with a spout having corresponding regions, ensuring secure sealing without a closure plate and reducing residual stresses through balanced pressure distribution and stable resin flow during molding.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If the engagement strength between the spout and the threads of the cap is increased to maintain sealing properties without a closure plate, then sealing properties are improved, but a larger force (torque) is required at the time of opening, making it difficult to open the container
Solution Approach 1:
The inner peripheral surface of the spout side wall is divided into two distinct regions: a first region with a first diameter and a second region with a second diameter smaller than the first diameter. This segmentation allows different portions of the cap to engage with different regions of the spout, distributing the sealing function and opening force across multiple contact points rather than concentrating them in a single engagement interface.
Solution Approach 2:
The cap is designed with corresponding local variations in its structure to match the segmented spout regions. The cap includes a first portion that engages with the first region of the spout and a second portion that engages with the second region. This local quality variation ensures that each region of the cap-spout interface has optimized characteristics for its specific function, with the larger first region providing primary engagement and the smaller second region providing additional sealing contact.
2Reliability
If a closure plate is provided on the spout to maintain sealing properties, then sealing properties are improved, but the opening process becomes more complex and may require additional components such as pull rings
Solution Approach 1:
The invention extracts and removes the closure plate component from the spout assembly, replacing its sealing function with a different mechanism. Instead of using a separate closure plate that must be removed or opened, the sealing function is integrated directly into the threadable engagement interface between the cap and spout. The segmented inner peripheral surface of the spout provides the sealing contact surfaces that previously required a closure plate, thereby simplifying the overall structure while maintaining sealing reliability.
3Ease of manufacture
If the gate position and shape are not appropriately designed when producing a spout without a closure plate, then production is simpler, but unstable resin flow occurs causing residual stresses and deformation such as sink marks or warpage
Solution Approach 1:
The gate is positioned and shaped to create localized variations in resin flow characteristics that correspond to the segmented structure of the spout. The gate design ensures that resin fills the first region and second region in a controlled sequence, with the gate position and shape optimized to maintain stable flow throughout the injection molding process. This local optimization of the gate system prevents the formation of residual stresses and deformation in the spout structure.
Data Source
AI summary
A spout assembly includes a spout and a cap. The cap includes an inner ring having an outer peripheral surface provided with a first region with a first outer diameter and a second region with a second outer diameter. The spout includes a side wall having an inner peripheral surface provided with a first region having a first inner diameter and a second region having a second inner diameter. When the cap is threadably engaged with the spout, the first region of the inner ring is in close contact with the first region of the side wall of the spout throughout the circumference, and the second region of the inner ring is in close contact with the second region of the side wall of the spout throughout the circumference.