Squeezable Container With Self-Closing Valve For Leakage Prevention
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing squeezable containers for flowable products, such as yogurts, face challenges in efficient dispensing and resealing, particularly in preventing leakage and whey separation, while also requiring a design that simplifies construction and enhances product shelf life.
Innovation Solution
A collapsible pouch with an external spout fitment and a cap featuring a self-closing valve, where the spout is bonded to the pouch's exterior, allowing for controlled dispensing and easy resealing, and the cap is designed for cap-down storage to prevent whey separation.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of manufacture
If the spout is bonded to the pouch exterior, then construction is simplified and aesthetics are enhanced, but dispensing control and leakage prevention become more difficult
Solution Approach 1:
A valve mechanism is introduced as an intermediary component between the pouch interior and the external spout. This valve controls fluid flow by opening during squeezing to allow dispensing and closing when not in use to prevent leakage, thereby resolving the contradiction between simplified construction and reliable dispensing control.
Solution Approach 2:
The valve mechanism changes its flow state parameter dynamically - remaining closed during storage to prevent leakage and opening during dispensing. This parameter change allows the system to achieve both construction simplicity and dispensing reliability by adapting its state to operational requirements.
2Ease of operation
If the container allows easy dispensing, then product accessibility is improved, but preventing whey separation and maintaining freshness become more difficult
Solution Approach 1:
The container is designed with a cap-down storage orientation that preliminarily positions the product to prevent whey separation before dispensing occurs. This preliminary action maintains product homogeneity and freshness throughout storage, addressing the contradiction between easy dispensing and preventing separation.
3Volume of moving object
If the container is designed for cap-down storage, then space utilization is improved, but preventing product leakage during storage becomes more difficult
Solution Approach 1:
The self-closing valve mechanism provides self-service by automatically closing to prevent leakage when the container is stored in cap-down orientation. This eliminates the need for additional sealing components while preventing leakage, resolving the contradiction between space-efficient storage and leakage prevention.
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 enables controlled dispensing with reduced leakage, maintains product freshness by preventing air exposure, and simplifies construction and aesthetics, while allowing for efficient space utilization and storage.
Implementation Method 1
The pouch is configured to be squeezed by a user to force the flowable product from the internal space in the pouch through the spout and the self-closing valve to dispense the product
Implementation Method 2
The flange base is bonded to an outer surface of the lower gusset panel
Data Source
AI summary
A squeezable container is disclosed for holding and dispensing a flowable product like yogurt. The container generally includes a flexible and collapsible pouch body having an internal space for storing the flowable product, an external spout fitment attached to the outside of the dispensing end of the pouch body and through which the product can be dispensed, and a cap on the spout fitment, which can be opened by the user to dispense the product and closed to reseal the container. The cap includes a self-closing valve, and is configured to support the container in a cap-down orientation.