Tethered Container Closure Assembly With Low-Strain Lid Coupling
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing closure assemblies for containers with pourable products face issues such as lids detaching from the ring member, leading to inconvenience and littering, and there is a desire to improve these assemblies with minimal strain on the ring members during operation.
Innovation Solution
A closure assembly with a tethering mechanism using coupling elements connecting the lid and ring member, featuring tamper-evidence bridges that rupture during first-time operation, and a collar with a pouring outlet, ensuring the lid remains connected to the container.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If the lid is connected to the ring member by coupling bridges that rupture during first removal, then the lid can be easily removed from the collar, but the lid becomes detached and distinct from the container causing inconvenience and littering
Solution Approach 1:
A tether element is introduced as an intermediary component between the lid and ring member. This tether maintains connection during and after lid removal, preventing lid detachment and littering while not interfering with the initial easy removal operation. The tether acts as a mediator that resolves the contradiction between easy removal and preventing detachment.
2Object-generated harmful factors
If a tether connection element is used to connect the lid to the ring member, then the lid remains connected to the container preventing littering, but strain acts on the ring member during operation
Solution Approach 1:
The strain distribution is optimized by locally adapting the tether attachment points and structural characteristics. The tether is positioned and configured to distribute forces locally across the ring member structure, minimizing peak strain while maintaining effective connection. This local optimization allows the tether to prevent lid detachment without imposing excessive strain on the ring member.
3Strength
If multiple coupling elements are used to tether the lid and ring member, then the connection strength is improved, but the device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The coupling system is segmented into multiple discrete coupling elements distributed between the lid and ring member. This segmentation provides several benefits: it distributes mechanical loads across multiple points (improving strength), allows for easier manufacturing and assembly of individual elements, and enables the system to maintain functionality even if one element fails. The segmented approach achieves high connection strength without proportionally increasing overall complexity.
Data Source
AI summary
A closure assembly for a container filled or fillable with a pourable product includes at least a lid having a first rim, a ring member having a second rim facing the first rim and one or more coupling elements, each one being connected to the first rim and to the second rim. Each coupling element comprises at least one respective intermediate portion, one respective first curved portion connected to the first rim and the intermediate portion and one respective second curved portion connected to the second rim and the intermediate portion. The intermediate portion is inclined with respect to the first rim and/or the second rim.