U-Shaped Spout With Visible Flow Path

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Solution Overview

Problem

Existing spout designs for pouring flowable products from containers often lack visibility and control over the discharge process, making it difficult to manage the flow and direction of the product during pouring.

Innovation Solution

A spout with a u-shaped wall forming a channel that is open at the discharge end, allowing for a visible flow path and a closure lip to mount within the container opening, enabling slidable engagement and control over the pouring process, with a discharge opening opposite the open top for directing the flow in an opposing direction.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Ease of operation

If a traditional spout design is used, then the container opening is sealed, but the discharge process is not visible and control is difficult

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvecontrol over discharge processVSAvoidvisibility of flow path

Core Design Contradiction:

Ease of operationVSLoss of information

Solution Approach 1:

The spout is divided into separate functional components: a body portion, a discharge opening, and a closure member. This segmentation allows the flow path to be visually separated into distinct segments (inlet opening, channel, discharge opening) while maintaining controlled discharge through the closure member's movable sealing action.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

The closure member acts as an intermediary element between the flow path and the external environment. It provides a visible flow path for monitoring while controlling the actual discharge through its movable sealing action, mediating between visibility requirements and discharge control requirements.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

2Ease of operation

If the spout is made movable for better control, then discharge control is improved, but the structure becomes more complex

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvecontrol over pouringVSAvoidspout structure

Core Design Contradiction:

Ease of operationVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The closure member is designed with localized sealing functionality at specific positions (first position for sealing, second position for discharge). This local quality approach provides controlled discharge at the discharge opening while maintaining simplicity in the overall spout structure through minimal movable parts.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #3Local quality

Solution Approach 2:

The closure member is designed to be movable between a first position (sealing the discharge opening) and a second position (opening the discharge opening). This dynamic element provides control over the pouring process while maintaining relatively simple spout structure through single-component motion rather than complex mechanisms.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #15Dynamics

3Loss of information

If the flow path is made visible, then monitoring is improved, but the discharge control is reduced

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvevisibility of flow pathVSAvoiddischarge control

Core Design Contradiction:

Loss of informationVSEase of operation

Solution Approach 1:

The flow path is segmented into visible portions (inlet opening, channel, discharge opening) that allow monitoring of flow characteristics, while the closure member provides discrete control points for discharge. This segmentation enables simultaneous visibility and control by separating the flow path into observable segments while maintaining controlled access through the closure member.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

The closure member serves as an intermediary that provides both visibility (through the open channel when retracted) and control (through its sealing action at the discharge opening). It mediates between the conflicting requirements by allowing flow path visibility while maintaining discharge control through its movable sealing position.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

4Ease of operation

If the spout is designed for easy mounting, then ease of operation is improved, but the sealing reliability may be compromised

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvemounting processVSAvoidsealing at container opening

Core Design Contradiction:

Ease of operationVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

The closure member is designed to be movable between sealed and open positions, providing dynamic sealing reliability. The ease of mounting is achieved through the simple insertion and retraction mechanism, while sealing reliability is maintained through the closure member's ability to seal the discharge opening in the first position and the end wall's sealing of the container opening.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #15Dynamics

Data Source

PatentUS9227766B2Pouring spout for container

Publication Date: 2016.01.05 TOPPAN THERMOFORMED PACKAGING HOLDINGS INC

AI summary

A pouring spout is mounted within an opening in a container. The spout includes an open channel or trough dimensioned for slidable engagement within the opening. The open channel is defined by a u-shaped wall extending between a mounting end and a discharge end. An end wall is formed at the discharge end, adjacent a discharge opening formed in the bottom surface of the u-shaped wall. A visible flow path is formed along the open channel, between the inlet to the discharge opening.