Ventilation Cap with Detachable Tamper-Evident Seal

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Solution Overview

Problem

Existing liquid dispensers face contamination issues through ventilation openings before initial operation, as they lack effective mechanisms to prevent ingress of contaminants during the first use.

Innovation Solution

The design incorporates a cap with a detachable segment that includes a tamper-evident portion and a pull-off portion, which covers the ventilation opening in the delivery state, ensuring that the ventilation opening is only opened during the first use, thereby preventing contamination. This segment is connected via a substance-to-substance bond and features a grip portion for easy separation, ensuring the correct operation method is followed, and an optional filter membrane is used to further prevent contaminants in the second variant.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Duration of action of stationary object

If the ventilation opening is provided in the cap body to enable drying of the discharge opening, then the drying function is improved, but contaminants can pass through the ventilation opening before initial operation

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvedrying capabilityVSAvoidcontamination

Core Design Contradiction:

Duration of action of stationary objectVSObject-affected harmful factors

Solution Approach 1:

The patent applies preliminary action by providing a pull-off portion that pre-closes the ventilation opening before the dispenser is used. This pull-off portion must be removed during initial operation, ensuring that the ventilation opening is sealed beforehand to prevent contamination, and only opened when intentionally activated by the user pulling off the portion.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #10Preliminary action

Solution Approach 2:

The patent uses a disposable pull-off portion made of thin material that is intended to be removed during initial operation. This temporary component serves its purpose of sealing the ventilation opening during storage and transport, then is discarded when the dispenser is first activated, allowing the ventilation function to begin.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #27Cheap short-living objects (Disposable)

2Object-affected harmful factors

If a pull-off portion is used to close the ventilation opening, then contamination is prevented, but the device complexity increases due to the detachable segment

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvecontamination preventionVSAvoidcap structure

Core Design Contradiction:

Object-affected harmful factorsVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The patent merges the tamper-evident portion and the pull-off portion into a single integrated detachable segment. This combination allows both functions (tamper evidence and ventilation closure) to be achieved through one component that is removed during initial operation, rather than requiring separate mechanisms for each function.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #5Merging (Combining)

Solution Approach 2:

The detachable segment serves multiple functions simultaneously: it acts as a tamper-evident seal, closes the ventilation opening to prevent contamination, and provides a visual indicator of product integrity. By combining these functions into one component, the overall device complexity is reduced compared to having separate mechanisms for each function.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #6Universality (Multi-functionality)

3Reliability

If the tamper-evident portion and pull-off portion are designed as a joint detachable segment, then incorrect separation is reduced, but the manufacturing process becomes more complex

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvecorrect operationVSAvoidproduction process

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSEase of manufacture

Solution Approach 1:

The patent segments the cap into a permanent cap body and a detachable segment that includes both the tamper-evident portion and the pull-off portion. This segmentation allows the detachable segment to be manufactured separately and then attached to the cap body, simplifying the overall manufacturing process while ensuring that both the tamper-evident and ventilation closure functions are integrated.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #1Segmentation

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 design effectively prevents contamination during the first use of the liquid dispenser by ensuring the ventilation opening is only opened correctly, allowing the dispenser to dry and reducing the risk of incorrect separation, while the filter membrane in the second variant provides additional protection against contaminants.

Implementation Method 1

an optional filter membrane is used to further prevent contaminants

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectFiltration: Filter (physical)

Data Source

PatentUS11390435B2Liquid dispenser

Publication Date: 2022.07.19 APTAR RADOLFZELL

AI summary

Liquid dispenser for discharging pharmaceutical liquid having a discharge head and a cap, the cap body of which has a ventilation opening. The dispenser includes an injection-moulded pull-off portion which, in the delivery state, covers the ventilation opening and is connected to the cap body by a substance-to-substance bond. The pull-off portion, together with a tamper-evident portion, which, with the dispenser in the delivery state, prevents removal of the cap body, is part of a common segment which is detachable from the cap body of the cap. Alternatively, the ventilation opening is provided with a filter membrane for filtering the air which flows through it, and the cap body includes two part-bodies which together form a receiving space for the filter membrane.