Vented Flexible Containers With Stand-Off Structures
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional rigid containers for fluent products are expensive to produce, require significant materials, are difficult to decorate, prone to damage, and challenging to resize, making them inefficient and costly for manufacturing and consumer use.
Innovation Solution
The development of flexible containers with novel support structures that use less material, allowing for easier decoration and dispensing, and can be easily resized, made by converting flexible materials into finished goods with less energy and complexity compared to rigid materials.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Strength
If rigid materials are used to make conventional containers, then structural integrity is improved, but production cost and material usage increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies flexible shell technology by using multiple layers of flexible material (outer flexible material, intermediate flexible material, inner flexible material) to create a container that maintains structural integrity while using significantly less material than conventional rigid containers. The flexible layers are sealed to form a complete container structure that can withstand external forces while being lightweight and material-efficient.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent employs composite material construction by combining multiple different flexible materials with distinct functions: an outer flexible material for structural support, an intermediate flexible material for additional strength and sealing, and an inner flexible material for product contact and barrier properties. This composite approach optimizes both strength and material efficiency.
2Strength
If rigid materials are used to make conventional containers, then structural integrity is improved, but production cost increases
Solution Approach 1:
The flexible shell construction eliminates the need for expensive rigid material processing equipment and complex molding operations. The flexible materials can be thermally sealed using simpler, more cost-effective equipment, reducing manufacturing complexity and production costs while maintaining adequate structural integrity for the application.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent changes the fundamental material parameter from rigid to flexible, which fundamentally alters the manufacturing process from high-cost rigid material forming to lower-cost flexible material sealing. This parameter change enables the use of simpler manufacturing equipment and processes, directly reducing production costs.
3Strength
If rigid containers are used, then structural integrity is improved, but ease of decoration and resizing becomes difficult
Solution Approach 1:
The flexible shell construction inherently provides adaptability for decoration and resizing. The flexible outer surface can be easily printed, labeled, or decorated without compromising structural integrity. Additionally, the flexible nature allows the container to be resized or reconfigured more easily than rigid containers, enhancing versatility.
Data Source
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AI summary
Methods of making vents in containers made from flexible materials, including forming vent openings in a first flexible material, forming vent stand-offs on a second flexible material, and combining the flexible materials to form a vent passage for the flexible container.