Tethered Bottle Closure for Non-Obstructive Pouring
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing plastic bottle screw caps for liquid food products face challenges in being cost-effective, environmentally friendly, and compatible with existing applicator machinery, while ensuring easy use and non-interference with bottle spouts during pouring.
Innovation Solution
A tethered screw cap design with a tamper-evident rim, where the cap can be twisted to a stable position that does not obstruct the spout, maintaining geometric similarity with untethered caps to minimize machinery modifications, and featuring a tether band that biases the cap towards the bottle for secure positioning.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Object-affected harmful factors
If a tethered screw cap design is used to reduce loss and littering, then environmental friendliness is improved, but the geometric similarity with untethered caps deteriorates, requiring modifications to existing applicator machinery
Solution Approach 1:
The tether band extends in the circumferential direction around the bottle spout, utilizing the circumferential dimension to attach the cap without extending radially outward. This allows the cap to maintain its standard cylindrical envelope compatible with existing applicator machinery while the tether provides the anti-littering function in the circumferential plane.
Solution Approach 2:
The tether band is arranged to extend along the circular-cylindrical envelope of the bottle closure, nesting within the same spatial envelope as the cap itself. This allows the tether to be integrated into the cap structure without increasing the overall radial dimensions, maintaining compatibility with standard applicator machinery.
2Object-affected harmful factors
If the screw cap is tethered to the bottle, then loss and littering are reduced, but the cap may obstruct the spout opening during pouring
Solution Approach 1:
The screw cap is designed to be movable relative to the bottle spout along the screw axis after unscrewing. The tether band allows the cap to dynamically reposition itself from the closed position to an open position where it does not obstruct the spout, while maintaining its tethered connection to prevent loss.
Solution Approach 2:
The functional space is segmented into the closed position (where the cap seals the spout) and the open position (where the cap is pulled away from the spout opening). The tether band connects these two functional states, allowing the cap to transition between them without detaching.
3Stability of the object's composition
If the tether band is made resilient to press the cap towards the bottle, then stable positioning is improved, but the tether band complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The tether band utilizes changes in its physical parameters, specifically its resilience and radial bending properties. By designing the tether band with appropriate radial thickness and material properties, it naturally generates the necessary biasing force when bent radially outward, providing stable cap positioning without additional mechanical components.
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
Facilitates low-cost production, reduces littering risk, and allows seamless integration with existing applicator machinery, ensuring easy use and effective tamper evidence without interfering with spout functionality.
Implementation Method 1
radial bias of the tether band, generated in the tether band when resiliently bent radially outwards from the screw axis, will press the cap towards the bottle
Data Source
Figure 1
Figure 2
Figure 3~4
AI summary
A bottle closure (14) comprises a screw cap (16) and a tamper-evident rim (18). The screw cap (16) comprises an axial closure wall (28) configured to close an orifice (24) of the bottle spout (20), and a cap skirt (30) configured to engage with an external thread (22) of the bottle spout (20), and translate the screw cap (16) along a screw axis (A) by rotating about the screw axis. The bottom rim (32) of the cap skirt (30) is releasably connected to the tamper-evident rim (18), via a frangible bridge arrangement, along a screw cap separation line, which extends in a plane perpendicular to the screw axis (A). The tamper-evident rim (18) comprises an attachment ring (36) configured to rotatably and non-detachably engage with the bottle spout (20); and a tether band (38) tethering the screw cap (16) to the attachment ring (36), wherein the tether band (38) is configured to be resiliently bent radially outwards from the screw axis (A) against a bias.