Umbrella-Opening Inliner for Wrinkle-Free Container Fitting

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Solution Overview

Problem

Existing transport containers face challenges in efficiently inserting and removing inliners without causing wrinkles or tears, leading to potential leakage and contamination due to improper fit and complex cleaning processes.

Innovation Solution

An inliner with shaped rods made of flexible material, operatively connected to ensure optimal fit within the transport container, facilitated by an application hose for easy insertion and removal, and a molded part for secure attachment during filling and emptying.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Ease of manufacture

If a thin-walled flexible inliner is inserted into a transport container, then the transport container can be used without thorough cleaning, but the inliner may form wrinkles and creases that disrupt flow and cause leakage

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveease of useVSAvoidseamless fit
Core Design Contradiction:
Ease of manufactureVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

The inliner is pre-formed with shaped rods that define its three-dimensional geometry before insertion. The rods are arranged in a folded state within the inliner, and upon insertion into the transport container, they automatically expand and assume their predetermined shapes, pre-positioning the inliner to fit the container walls without wrinkles or creases.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #10Preliminary action

Solution Approach 2:

The inliner is constructed as a flexible thin-walled structure that can conform to the inner contour of the transport container. The flexible material allows the inliner to adapt to the container's geometry while maintaining seamlessness, preventing wrinkles and creases that would otherwise cause leakage.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #30Flexible shells and thin films

2Ease of operation

If the inliner is inserted in a folded state through a filling opening, then insertion is simplified, but the inliner may not assume the correct shape and may retain creases

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveease of insertionVSAvoidshape accuracy
Core Design Contradiction:
Ease of operationVSManufacturing precision

Solution Approach 1:

The shaped rods are pre-configured within the inliner in a folded state, and upon insertion into the transport container, they automatically expand and assume their predetermined shapes, pre-positioning the inliner to fit the container walls without wrinkles or creases.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #10Preliminary action

Solution Approach 2:

The shaped rods are designed to be deformable, allowing them to be compressed into a folded state for easy insertion through the filling opening. Once inside the container, the rods dynamically expand to their predetermined shapes, transforming the inliner from a compact folded state to its full operational three-dimensional form.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #15Dynamics

3Reliability

If connection devices are used to attach the inliner to the transport container, then the inliner can be securely fixed, but the attachment process becomes complex and time-consuming

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvesecure attachmentVSAvoidattachment mechanism
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The shaped rods are designed to automatically assume their predetermined shapes upon insertion into the transport container, self-positioning the inliner without requiring external connection devices or complex attachment mechanisms. The inliner essentially attaches itself to the container walls through the geometric constraint of the rods.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #25Self-service

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

Ensures a seamless fit of the inliner within the transport container, preventing wrinkles and tears, allowing easy and contamination-free filling and emptying processes, reducing the need for complex cleaning and waste generation.

Implementation Method 1

shaped rods (14) made of a flexible material, operatively connected to the inliner (10) such that the inliner (10) opens in the transport container (12) with the shaped rods (14) when the inliner (10) is inserted into the transport container (12)

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectElasticity: Elasticity

Data Source

PatentEP4543781B1Liner, composite packaging and transport container comprising a liner, and associated method
Publication Date: 2025.09.10 BAHR ULRICH
  • EP4543781B1 patent drawingFigure 1~5
  • EP4543781B1 patent drawingFigure 6~7
  • EP4543781B1 patent drawingFigure 8~11

AI summary

The invention relates to a liner (10) which is designed to receive filling material (40) and to be inserted through an opening in a container wall of a transport container (12). The liner (10) is operatively connected to shaping rods (14) which are designed to open together with the liner (10) in the transport container (12) according to the umbrella principle when the liner is inserted into the transport container, in order to position the liner so that it rests form-fittingly and neatly in the interior of the liner. Subsequently, the shaping rods (14) close again when the liner (10) is discharged, in order to remove the emptied and now contaminated liner (10) together with a potential residual amount of liquid through the filling opening in the transport container.