Tamper Evident Closure With Frangible Connector and Resilient Teeth

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Solution Overview

Problem

Existing tamper evident closures for reusable containers, such as glass milk bottles, often have insufficiently engaged and robust teeth due to manufacturing limitations, which can lead to leakage and lack of a secure seal, and require complex fitting processes that may damage the teeth.

Innovation Solution

A one-piece molded tamper evident push-on closure with resiliently deformable teeth and a frangible connector, featuring a cap portion, latch ring portion, and manually engageable tab, which ensures a liquid-tight seal and visible tampering indication without the need for threads, using a molding process that allows for robust tooth design and easy release from the mold.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Reliability

If teeth are made robust to prevent opening without dislocating the tamper evident feature, then security and tamper evidence are improved, but manufacturing complexity and difficulty of release from mold increase

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvetamper evidence reliabilityVSAvoidmanufacturing process complexity

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The closure is divided into multiple components: a cap portion, a latch ring portion with teeth, and a frangible connector. This segmentation allows each component to be optimized independently - the teeth can be made robust for security while the frangible connector provides a controlled failure point for easy manufacturing and release.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

The frangible connector is designed with specific material properties and structural parameters that allow it to remain intact during normal use but fail easily under controlled conditions during manufacturing. This parameter change enables the robust teeth to be released from the mold without damaging them, resolving the contradiction between strength and manufacturability.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #35Parameter changes

2Reliability

If teeth are made robust to prevent opening without dislocating the tamper evident feature, then security is improved, but ease of manufacture deteriorates

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveclosure securityVSAvoidease of manufacture

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSEase of manufacture

Solution Approach 1:

By separating the robust teeth into a distinct latch ring portion connected by a frangible connector, the patent allows the teeth to be manufactured robustly while the connector provides an easy manufacturing advantage through controlled failure during release.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

The frangible connector is designed as a disposable element that sacrifices itself during manufacturing release. This allows the expensive, robust teeth to be manufactured without risk of damage, as the connector fails in a controlled manner to free the teeth from the mold.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #27Cheap short-living objects (Disposable)

3Ease of operation

If a snap-on closure is used to provide liquid-tight seal, then sealing performance is improved, but reliability of seal deteriorates compared to screw-on closures

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveease of closure applicationVSAvoidseal reliability

Core Design Contradiction:

Ease of operationVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

The closure transitions from a static snap-on design to a dynamic system where the frangible connector can fail in a controlled manner. This dynamic element allows the closure to achieve both ease of application through snapping on and reliability through the controlled failure mechanism that ensures proper engagement.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #15Dynamics

Solution Approach 2:

The patent changes the structural parameters of the connection between cap portion and latch ring portion by introducing the frangible connector. This parameter change enables the snap-on closure to achieve seal reliability comparable to screw-on closures while maintaining ease of operation, as the connector ensures proper engagement through its controlled failure characteristics.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #35Parameter changes

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, liquid-tight seal and clear indication of tampering while maintaining tooth robustness and simplifying manufacturing, ensuring the closure can be easily fitted and removed without damaging the teeth, thus addressing the limitations of existing closures.

Implementation Method 1

a plurality of resiliently deformable teeth extending inwardly from the latch ring portion and towards the cap portion for engaging the latch ring portion onto the neck of the bottle

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectElasticity: Elasticity

Data Source

PatentUS9776350B2Tamper evident closure and method of making same

Publication Date: 2017.10.03 STANPAC

AI summary

A one piece molded tamper evident push-on closure suitable for closing an opening of a bottle, and method for manufacture thereof. The closure includes a cap portion, a latch ring portion and a frangible connector connecting the cap portion and the latch ring portion. The closure includes a plurality of resiliently deformable teeth extending inwardly from the latch ring portion and towards the cap portion for engaging the latch ring portion onto the neck of the bottle. The closure includes a manually engageable tab projecting from the latch ring portion to permit application of a manual force to rupture the frangible connector and permit the cap portion to be at least partially disconnected from the latch ring portion.