Tubular Casing Dispensing Device with Integrated Opening Means

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Solution Overview

Problem

Existing packaging combinations for viscous or granular materials require expensive materials, lead to accidental discharge and environmental pollution, and necessitate external cutting tools for opening, making them inefficient and costly.

Innovation Solution

A packaging combination featuring a tubular casing with closure clips and a dispensing device with a plait-like portion and integrated opening means, allowing for easy and safe opening by removing the closure means and precise dispensing without external tools, using a form-fit attachment and a V-shaped cutout for cutting the closure clip.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Reliability

If a rigid tube is used to accommodate the bag-shaped casing, then the casing can be securely held, but the device becomes expensive due to expensive plastics and large dimensions

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvesecure holding of casingVSAvoidmanufacturing cost
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSEase of manufacture

Solution Approach 1:

The invention extracts the essential function of the rigid tube (holding and dispensing the casing) and implements it using a flexible casing itself, eliminating the need for expensive rigid plastic tubes while maintaining the secure holding and dispensing functions

Inventive Principle:
Principle #2Taking out (Extraction)

Solution Approach 2:

The invention adopts a disposable flexible casing that can be discarded after use, replacing the expensive rigid tube that would need to be manufactured from costly plastics. The flexible casing is designed for single-use, eliminating the need for durable, expensive materials

Inventive Principle:
Principle #27Cheap short-living objects (Disposable)

2Ease of operation

If the bag-shaped casing is opened outside the tube before insertion, then it can be positioned in the rigid tube, but filling material may accidentally discharge and pollute the environment

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvecasing positioningVSAvoidaccidental discharge and pollution
Core Design Contradiction:
Ease of operationVSObject-affected harmful factors

Solution Approach 1:

The invention incorporates pre-formed opening means (cutouts) in the flexible casing that allow the casing to be opened directly during insertion into the dispensing device, eliminating the need to open it beforehand outside the device and preventing accidental discharge

Inventive Principle:
Principle #10Preliminary action

Solution Approach 2:

The opening means act as an intermediary structure that facilitates safe opening of the casing during the insertion process, providing a controlled path for opening that prevents uncontrolled discharge of filling material

Inventive Principle:
Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

3Ease of operation

If additional cutting means are provided to open the packaging casing, then the casing can be opened, but the device complexity increases

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvecasing openingVSAvoidnumber of components
Core Design Contradiction:
Ease of operationVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The invention merges the opening function directly into the flexible casing by incorporating cutouts as integral parts of the casing structure, eliminating the need for separate external cutting tools and reducing overall device complexity

Inventive Principle:
Principle #5Merging (Combining)

Solution Approach 2:

The flexible casing is designed to be self-opening through its integrated cutout structure, allowing the user to open it by simple pulling motion without requiring additional cutting means or tools

Inventive Principle:
Principle #25Self-service

Data Source

PatentEP2557055B1Packaging combination comprising a tubular casing and a dispensing device with opening means
Publication Date: 2014.10.29 POLY CLIP SYST
  • EP2557055B1 patent drawingFigure 1
  • EP2557055B1 patent drawingFigure 2
  • EP2557055B1 patent drawingFigure 3

AI summary

The present invention relates to packaging combination for accommodating and dispensing a viscous or granular filling material. The packaging combination (1) comprises a tubular casing (10) having a first end (12) and a second end 14, wherein the tubular casing (10) is partially filled with the filling material and closed at its first as well as its second end (12, 14) by a closure means (C), like a closure clip, wherein the partially filled tubular casing (10) comprises a plait-like portion (P) at its first end (12) being at least approximately free of filling material. The packaging combination (1) further comprises a dispensing device (20) having a passageway extending through the dispensing device (20) with an inlet opening (24) at its one end and a dispensing opening (28) at its other end for guiding and dispensing the filling material in a dispensing direction (D), and being attached to the first end (12) of the partially filled and closed tubular casing (10), wherein the plait-like portion (P) of the tubular casing (10) extends through the passageway and beyond the dispensing opening (28) of the dispensing device (20) such that the closure means (C) closing said first end (12) is arranged outside the dispensing opening (28). Moreover, at least the dispensing device (20) comprises leastwise an element of opening means (30) for opening the tubular casing (10).