Ultrasonic Welding Plastic Spice Container Tamper Evidence

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Solution Overview

Problem

Conventional plastic spice containers with snap-attached lids can be tampered with by removing the lid entirely from the metal body, even if the tamper evident strip remains intact, allowing for potential product contamination without visible evidence of tampering.

Innovation Solution

The container body and lid are ultrasonically welded together, providing a secure and tamper-evident seal that prevents the lid from being removed without damage to one or both components, ensuring that any particulates are vibrated out during the welding process, enhancing the attachment and preventing contamination.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Ease of operation

If the plastic lid is snap-attached to the metal container body, then the lid can be easily attached and removed, but the lid can be entirely removed from the metal body allowing tampering without visible evidence

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveease of lid attachment and removalVSAvoidtamper evidence reliability

Core Design Contradiction:

Ease of operationVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

The patent merges the plastic lid with the metal container body through ultrasonic welding, creating a permanent bond that prevents complete removal of the lid. This combining of components ensures that any tampering attempt would require destroying the welded connection, providing reliable tamper evidence while maintaining ease of normal operation through the welding process.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #5Merging (Combining)

Solution Approach 2:

The patent replaces the conventional mechanical snap-attachment system with ultrasonic welding. This substitution eliminates the ability to remove the lid entirely while maintaining the functional benefits of attachment. The ultrasonic welding process creates a permanent bond that cannot be undone without damage, thereby ensuring tamper evidence reliability.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #28Mechanics substitution (Replace mechanical system)

2Force

If significant force is applied to remove the plastic lid from the metal body, then the lid can be removed for tampering, but the tamper evident strip may remain unaltered giving an appearance of lack of tampering

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveforce applied to remove lidVSAvoidtamper evidence information

Core Design Contradiction:

ForceVSLoss of information

Solution Approach 1:

By merging the lid and container body through ultrasonic welding, the patent ensures that applying force to remove the lid would result in damage to either component or the welded connection itself. This permanent bond means that any tampering attempt would be visually evident through damage to the welded structure or the tamper evident strip, eliminating the risk of false negative tamper evidence.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #5Merging (Combining)

3Strength

If adhesives are used to attach the lid to the container body, then the lid can be securely attached, but the adhesives may contaminate the product contents

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveattachment strengthVSAvoidproduct contamination from adhesives

Core Design Contradiction:

StrengthVSObject-affected harmful factors

Solution Approach 1:

The patent substitutes adhesive-based attachment with ultrasonic welding. This replacement eliminates the harmful factor of adhesive contamination while maintaining secure attachment strength. The ultrasonic welding process creates a strong bond between the lid and container body without introducing any adhesive materials that could contaminate the product contents stored within the container.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #28Mechanics substitution (Replace mechanical system)

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

This solution provides a strong and consistent seal, preventing tampering by ensuring that the lid cannot be removed without evidence of tampering, and reduces the risk of product contamination, as the welding process eliminates the use of adhesives that could contaminate the contents.

Implementation Method 1

the container body and container lid are ultrasonically welded to one another

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectUltrasonic vibration: Ultrasonic Vibration

Implementation Method 2

vibrating any potential particulates of the product stored within the plastic container from between the two components to provide an improved attachment therebetween

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectFriction heating: Friction

Data Source

PatentUS8793968B2Methods of manufacturing a plastic spice container

Publication Date: 2014.08.05 JL CLARK INC

AI summary

A spice container and method of making same is provided. The spice container includes a plastic container body and a plastic lid ultrasonically welded to an open end of the container body. The method of making the spice container includes molding the container body from plastic as a one-piece construction. However, during molding, prior to cooling, the container body has a rectangular outer periphery proximate a closed end and an outer periphery at an opposite end having at least one side that bows radially outward. After molding and after cooling, the outer periphery proximate the opposite end has a generally rectangular shape as the bowed side cools and shrinks to a generally straight side.