Tube Closure Assembly with Guided Punch and Axial Stops
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Existing tube closure assemblies require multiple steps to pierce and cut the lid, are prone to manufacturing tolerances that affect reliability, require high torque for initial use, and may damage non-return stops or hinder product flow.
Innovation Solution
The assembly features a cap with a punch that is guided through a specific path on the tube head, using angularly spaced stops to ensure precise positioning and prevent return, allowing for sequential piercing and sealing without additional rings or high torque, and incorporating a notch and protrusion system to prevent cap withdrawal and ensure proper sealing.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If a removable ring is used to hold the punch in waiting position, then the lid can be preserved before first use, but the device complexity increases and the number of steps required increases
Solution Approach 1:
The invention removes the removable ring component entirely and integrates the waiting position holding function directly into the cap structure. The punch is held in waiting position by the cap's own geometry and the interaction between the cap's thread portion and the tube head's guide path, eliminating the need for separate rings or additional components.
Solution Approach 2:
The functions of the cap, punch holder, and sealing element are merged into a single integrated cap structure. The cap simultaneously holds the punch in waiting position, seals the tube opening, and guides the punch during the closing operation, eliminating the need for separate components.
2Reliability
If a removable ring is used to hold the punch, then the lid can be preserved, but the ease of operation decreases due to multiple steps required
Solution Approach 1:
The punch is pre-positioned in the cap during manufacturing, held in waiting position by the cap's integrated structure. This preliminary positioning ensures the punch is ready for action but prevented from damaging the lid during storage and transport, eliminating the need for user intervention to install or position rings.
Solution Approach 2:
The cap structure automatically holds the punch in waiting position through its own geometry and the interaction with the tube head's guide path. The system is self-regulating, requiring no additional components or user actions to maintain the punch in the correct position during storage.
3Ease of operation
If the thread portion is held in waiting position by radial deformation of the cap, then the cap can be positioned on the neck, but the manufacturing precision decreases due to high tolerances
Solution Approach 1:
The invention transitions from radial deformation (circular dimension) to axial positioning (linear dimension) for holding the thread portion in waiting position. The axial stop provides a precise linear position that is easier to control manufacturally than radial deformation, while still achieving the desired cap positioning function.
Solution Approach 2:
The invention changes the controlling parameter from radial deformation amount to axial position location. The axial stop defines a specific axial position where the thread portion is held, which is a more precisely controllable manufacturing parameter than the amount of radial deformation required for snap-fit positioning.
4Device complexity
If the punch is held in waiting position without a removable ring, then the device complexity is reduced, but the reliability of maintaining waiting position may be compromised
Solution Approach 1:
The guide path in the tube head incorporates curved or angled surfaces that guide the cap's thread portion into the correct waiting position. The curved geometry provides a self-aligning mechanism that ensures reliable positioning without requiring additional components, using the natural guidance of curved surfaces.
Solution Approach 2:
The axial stop and guide path create a mechanical feedback system where the cap's thread portion is guided into the waiting position and held there by the stop. The geometry provides inherent feedback that confirms proper positioning, ensuring the punch remains reliably in waiting position without additional components.
Data Source
AI summary
An assembly for closing a tube. The assembly includes a tube head that has a neck and a cap. The assembly defines a guide path, a thread and a thread portion allowing the cap to be positioned on the neck by cooperation with the guide path and the thread. The assembly further includes a first and a second stop element for the thread portion, the stop elements being angularly spaced apart and defining a passage between the guide path and the thread. The assembly is configured to allow axial displacement of the thread portion through the passage with a non-return effect produced by at least one of said stops.