Tubular Assembly With Interlocking Longitudinal Features
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing packaging solutions for sensitive products, such as food and pharmaceuticals, face challenges in modulating the volume of active materials within chambers, leading to inefficient use of storage space and potential noise due to loose particle distribution, and require complex manufacturing processes that limit production rates.
Innovation Solution
A tubular assembly comprising a cap and body with complementary longitudinal features in relief, allowing for adjustable attachment by surface interference, enabling modulation of active material volume and compaction, and facilitating high production rates through simplified manufacturing.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If a cover is locked between active material and a peripheral groove in the container body, then the chamber volume is fixed and the cover attachment is secured, but the active material volume cannot be modulated and the manufacturing production rate is limited due to long cooling phase requirements
Solution Approach 1:
The invention divides the attachment mechanism into two separate components: the container body with external peripheral grooves and the cover with complementary grooves. This segmentation allows each component to be manufactured independently by injection molding without complex internal features, enabling high production rates while maintaining secure attachment through the interlocking groove system.
Solution Approach 2:
Instead of placing grooves on the internal face of the container body (which causes manufacturing issues), the invention inverts the groove location to the external peripheral surface. This inversion resolves the manufacturing constraint while achieving the same functional goal of securing the cover through interlocking grooves.
2Adaptability or versatility
If the chamber volume is fixed to match the active material volume, then the cover attachment is simplified, but the active material volume cannot be modulated leading to inefficient storage space utilization
Solution Approach 1:
The invention introduces a movable cover along the longitudinal axis of the container body, enabling dynamic adjustment of the chamber volume. The cover can be positioned at different locations to match varying volumes of active material, optimizing storage space efficiency while maintaining adaptability to different packaging requirements.
Solution Approach 2:
The invention enables change of the chamber volume parameter by moving the cover to different positions along the container body. This parameter adjustment allows optimization of storage space for different quantities of active material while maintaining secure attachment through the peripheral groove interlocking system.
3Reliability
If a peripheral groove is provided on the internal face of the container body, then the cover can be locked in position, but the cooling phase duration must be extended to avoid damage during release
Solution Approach 1:
The peripheral grooves are pre-formed on the external surface of the container body during injection molding, before the cover is attached. This preliminary preparation of the locking features eliminates the need for post-molding cooling extensions, as the grooves do not interfere with mold release and can be quickly formed as part of the standard molding process.
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 assembly allows for optimized storage volume, secure attachment, and efficient compaction of active materials, enhancing storage efficiency and production capacity while maintaining product quality.
Implementation Method 1
the cap is anchored relative to the tubular body by surface interference and, in the anchored configuration, both inclined flanks of the at least one longitudinal feature in relief of the one among the cap and the tubular body are in contact with a complementary longitudinal feature in relief of the other one among the cap and the tubular body
Data Source
AI summary
This assembly includes a tubular body and a cap attached to the tubular body to define a chamber for an active material. The tubular body includes a transverse wall and a peripheral wall and the cap includes a base wall and a side wall. The chamber is delimited by a part of the tubular body including the transverse wall and is closed by the cap. The side wall of the cap on its periphery includes a plurality of longitudinal features in relief which cooperate by mutual engagement with complementary longitudinal features in relief provided on the peripheral wall of the tubular body substantially parallel to its longitudinal axis (X2).