Tint Plug Progressive Release Design
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Solution Overview
Problem
Prior art tint plugs release abruptly from paint container closures, making them difficult to remove and prone to spattering paint, which can cause accidents.
Innovation Solution
A progressive release tint plug design featuring a unitary plastic article with an annular rim, a depressed circular deck, and a pull ring with a stem attached to a well, allowing the rim to deform and 'peel away' from the closure, facilitated by slots for localized deformability.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If the tint plug is designed with a rigid structure to maintain seal integrity, then the seal reliability is improved, but the release process becomes abrupt and difficult
Solution Approach 1:
The rim structure is segmented by introducing grooves and slots that divide the rigid structure into flexible zones. These segmentation features allow the rim to bend and deform progressively during release, transforming the abrupt release into a controlled peeling motion while maintaining seal integrity during storage
Solution Approach 2:
The material parameters of the rim are modified by incorporating flexible zones with grooves and slots. These structural parameter changes enable the rim to transition from a completely rigid state to a semi-flexible state that can deform progressively, allowing the plug to peel away smoothly from the closure
2Ease of operation
If the pull ring is attached higher on the plug, then the pull leverage is improved, but the release becomes more abrupt and causes paint spatter
Solution Approach 1:
The well structure acts as an intermediary element between the pull ring and the rim. By positioning the well adjacent to the rim and attaching the pull ring stem to it, the system creates a progressive deformation zone that mediates the force transmission, transforming the abrupt pull into a controlled peeling action that prevents paint spatter
3Ease of operation
If the pull point is lowered closer to the closure, then the release smoothness is improved, but the pull leverage is reduced
Solution Approach 1:
The solution moves the effective pull point into a different spatial dimension by creating a well structure that extends vertically adjacent to the rim. This dimensional change allows the pull ring to engage the well at an optimized position that provides both good leverage and progressive release, rather than being constrained to a single horizontal plane
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 progressive release design mitigates the abruptness of prior art tint plugs, making it easier to separate the tint plug from the closure without spattering paint, enhancing user safety and convenience.
Implementation Method 1
pulling on the ring deforms the tint plug rim inwardly primarily in the area of the well
Implementation Method 2
The localized deformability of the tint plug is further enhanced by the inclusion of slots in the exterior surface of the rim structure
Data Source
AI summary
A plastic paint can having a closure with a circular aperture which releasably receives an all plastic tint plug having a circular pull ring. The tint plug is made locally more deformable to provide a progressive release by means of a well of thin material formed within the recessed center deck of the tint plug adjacent the rim structure and a pair of symmetrically arranged slots opening externally of the rim structure surface.