Three-Shot Injection Molded Lid for Vacuum-Insulated Container Sealing
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing containers with vacuum-insulated double-wall construction struggle to maintain temperature efficiency and secure closure, particularly when handling hot or cold beverages, due to inadequate sealing and insulation methods.
Innovation Solution
A lid configured for a container with a three-shot injection molding process using polymer elements, featuring a flip-type closure and removable coupling, which provides enhanced sealing and insulation through a polymer interface element acting as a weld seam, and includes a handle with an overmolded grip for easy operation.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Loss of energy
If a vacuum-insulated double-wall construction is used for the container, then thermal insulation performance is improved, but the lid sealing and temperature maintenance capability deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The lid is constructed using a three-shot injection molding process that integrates three different polymer materials with distinct properties: a rigid polymer for structural support, a soft polymer for sealing surfaces, and a flexible polymer for gasket elements. This composite construction allows the lid to simultaneously achieve structural integrity for temperature maintenance and compliant sealing surfaces for reliable closure, resolving the contradiction between thermal insulation and sealing reliability.
Solution Approach 2:
Different regions of the lid are assigned different material properties through the multi-shot molding process. The outer rim and structural components use rigid polymer for strength and thermal barrier, while the sealing surfaces and gasket areas use soft or flexible polymers for compliant contact. This local differentiation of material quality enables the lid to perform both thermal insulation and reliable sealing functions simultaneously.
2Ease of manufacture
If a simple lid structure is used, then ease of manufacture is improved, but sealing effectiveness and insulation performance deteriorate
Solution Approach 1:
The three-shot injection molding process merges the manufacturing of three different polymer components into a single integrated molding operation. Instead of separately manufacturing rigid parts, sealing elements, and gaskets then assembling them, the process combines all three material layers into one continuous manufacturing step, producing a unified lid component that achieves complex sealing and insulation functionality without requiring multiple assembly operations.
3Reliability
If a multi-component lid assembly is used, then sealing effectiveness is improved, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The three-shot injection molding process merges multiple components that would traditionally require separate manufacturing and assembly into a single integrated lid component. The process creates a unified structure with three polymer layers that are chemically and mechanically bonded, eliminating the need for separate sealing elements, gaskets, and structural parts, thereby reducing assembly complexity while maintaining sealing effectiveness.
Data Source
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AI summary
An insulating container can be configured to retain a volume of liquid, and include a first inner wall having a first end having an opening extending into an internal reservoir, and a second outer wall forming an outer shell. The opening can be sealed by a closure, the closure having an upper portion with a handle that has a circular curvature equal to the cylindrical portion of the closure. The closure may also have a lower portion that is joined to the upper portion by an injection molded polymer element. The closure may also be in the form of "flip" type of closure such that the lid can be selectably opened or closed by the user by rotating a flip closure into either the opened or closed position. The closure may also be a two-part lid having a lower cap that may be configured to be removably-coupled to the container and an upper cap that may be configured to be removably-coupled to the lower cap.