Vacuum Sealed Refill Package for Nonwoven Products

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Solution Overview

Problem

Current nonwoven rolled and folded products are not reusable, leading to waste and increased material usage, as well as inefficiencies in transportation and storage due to the need for multiple dispensing containers.

Innovation Solution

A vacuum sealed package containing a rolled or folded nonwoven product and a liquid, which can be easily inserted into an existing canister, allowing for reuse of the canister and reducing material usage and transportation costs.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Ease of manufacture

If nonwoven rolled or folded products are dispensed from a canister, then the product can be used for cleaning or disinfecting surfaces, but the canister must be discarded once the product is depleted, leading to increased material usage and waste

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveproduct dispensing functionalityVSAvoidmaterial waste from disposable canisters

Core Design Contradiction:

Ease of manufactureVSLoss of substance

Solution Approach 1:

The system is divided into two separate components: a reusable canister and a disposable refill package. The canister is designed to be retained and reused, while only the refill package containing the nonwoven product and liquid is discarded after use. This segmentation allows the durable canister structure to be separated from the consumable product, reducing overall material waste.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

The invention enables recovery and reuse of the canister by designing a system where only the refill package is discarded. The canister is recovered after the refill is depleted and prepared for the next refill package, implementing a recover-and-reuse cycle that reduces material waste compared to the traditional single-use canister approach.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #34Discarding and recovering

2Ease of operation

If traditional dispensing containers are used for nonwoven products with liquid, then the product can be dispensed and used, but multiple containers are needed, increasing transportation space and material usage

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveproduct dispensing and useVSAvoidtransportation space for multiple containers

Core Design Contradiction:

Ease of operationVSVolume of stationary object

Solution Approach 1:

The refill package merges the nonwoven product and liquid into a single integrated vacuum-sealed unit. This combination eliminates the need for separate containers for the product and liquid, reducing the total volume required for transportation and storage while maintaining the ability to dispense both components together when the refill is installed in the canister.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #5Merging (Combining)

Solution Approach 2:

The refill package is designed to be inserted into the existing canister, creating a nested configuration where the refill package fits within the canister volume. This nesting approach allows the refill to be transported compactly and installed without requiring additional external containers, reducing transportation space requirements.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #7Nested doll (Nesting)

3Reliability

If nonwoven products are transported with liquid in traditional containers, then the product maintains its liquid content, but the container size and transportation space required are maximized

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveliquid retention in productVSAvoidpackage size and transportation space

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSVolume of stationary object

Solution Approach 1:

The package is vacuum-sealed to reduce the internal pressure and remove air, which compresses the contents and reduces the overall package volume. The vacuum sealing also creates a hermetic barrier that reliably retains the liquid within the nonwoven product, preventing leakage while minimizing the space required for transportation.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #35Parameter changes

Solution Approach 2:

The vacuum-sealed package uses flexible sealing films to contain the liquid and nonwoven product. These flexible films conform to the contents and maintain the vacuum seal, providing reliable liquid retention while allowing the package to be compressed into a compact form factor that reduces transportation space.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #30Flexible shells and thin films

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 vacuum sealed package reduces the size of the product, retains the liquid effectively, and allows for easy refilling of canisters, thereby reducing waste, material usage, and transportation needs.

Implementation Method 1

The vacuum sealing of the package reduces the overall size of the package and ensures the liquid is retained in the package

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectVacuum pressure: Vacuum

Data Source

PatentUS20250066101A1Refill package containing a product

Publication Date: 2025.02.27 THE CLOROX CO

AI summary

A vacuum sealed package contains a rolled or stacked product and a liquid in the package. The vacuum sealing of the package reduces the overall size of the package and ensures the liquid is retained in the package, thereby facilitating transportation or shipment of the product. As a result, when a user opens a vacuum sealed package, the rolled or stacked product in the package contains most of the liquid in the package and is not dried out. The vacuum sealed package can be referred to alternatively as a refill or replacement package.