Tethered Bottle Cap With Elongated Opening Hinges
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing tethered caps for bottles are not user-friendly, often requiring complex designs and user intervention during pouring, leading to potential spillage and environmental pollution due to lost caps.
Innovation Solution
A cap design with a threaded portion that includes a cap housing with a band portion connected via elongated openings and connecting portions, allowing secure attachment to the bottle in an open position, preventing spillage and facilitating easy handling during pouring.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Object-affected harmful factors
If a tethered cap design is used to prevent cap loss, then environmental pollution is reduced, but user-friendliness deteriorates due to complex handling requirements
Solution Approach 1:
The cap is divided into distinct functional segments: a cap portion for closing the bottle, a band portion for tethering to the bottle, and connecting portions with elongated openings that allow controlled movement. This segmentation enables the cap to maintain attachment to the bottle while allowing easy removal and reattachment during pouring operations.
Solution Approach 2:
The connecting portions with elongated openings provide dynamic flexibility, allowing the cap to move between a closed position (attached to bottle), an open position (removed from bottle opening), and intermediate positions during pouring. This dynamic design eliminates the need for complex user manipulation while maintaining tethered attachment.
2Ease of operation
If a conventional cap design is used, then user-friendliness is maintained, but the cap is easily lost and causes environmental pollution
Solution Approach 1:
The band portion acts as an intermediary element that tethers the cap to the bottle. This intermediary connection allows the cap to function like a conventional cap (easy to remove and replace) while preventing complete loss through the tethering mechanism. The band portion mediates between the cap and bottle, providing both attachment and controlled separation capabilities.
3Reliability
If a tethered cap with connection portion is used, then cap loss is prevented, but the design complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The cap housing integrates multiple functions into a unified structure: the cap portion, band portion, and connecting portions are merged into a single molded component. This merging reduces the number of separate parts and assembly steps while maintaining the tethered attachment function, thereby reducing overall design complexity despite the added functionality.
Solution Approach 2:
The connecting portions with elongated openings serve multiple functions simultaneously: they allow the cap to be removed from the bottle opening, provide structural connection between the cap and band portions, enable the cap to swing freely during pouring, and maintain tethered attachment. This multi-functionality reduces the need for additional components.
4Loss of substance
If the cap is removed during pouring, then liquid flow is improved, but spillage risk increases due to cap movement
Solution Approach 1:
The cap design enables self-service during pouring operations. The tethered connection automatically controls cap movement, allowing the cap to be removed from the bottle opening for clear liquid flow while the band portion prevents excessive movement that would cause spillage. The system serves itself by using the tethering mechanism to automatically regulate cap position and movement during pouring.
Data Source
Figure 1a
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AI summary
The disclosure relates to a cap (1) for a bottle (2), the cap (1) comprises a cap housing (10) which includes a cap portion (20), a band portion (40) connected to the cap portion via an intermediate portion (30). The intermediate portion comprises a plurality of elongated openings (32) that define at least two connecting portions (34) interconnecting the cap portion with the band portion. The band portion comprises at least one holding structure (42). The plurality of elongated openings is arranged to allow the cap portion to be removed from the opening of the bottle and to be positioned in an open position in which an edge structure (28) of the cap portion is forced towards the threaded portion of the bottle and engages with the at least one holding structure. The disclosure further relates to a method (100) for manufacturing a cap.