Water-Soluble Container with Selective Coating for Waste Reduction
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional biodegradable beverage containers are costly to recycle and create waste, necessitating a solution that minimizes recycling costs and promotes eco-friendliness by dissolving in water over a short period.
Innovation Solution
A biodegradable and water-soluble container with a shell having an exterior water-insoluble layer and an interior water-insoluble layer, where specific portions are uncoated to facilitate dissolution, made from materials like polyvinyl alcohol or dissolvable paper, ensuring the container completely dissolves in water over time.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Object-generated harmful factors
If conventional biodegradable beverage containers are used, then they are eco-friendly, but they are costly to recycle and create waste
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies parameter changes by modifying the chemical composition and solubility characteristics of the container shell material. The shell is formulated to dissolve in water under specific conditions (temperature, time, agitation), transforming the waste management approach from recycling to dissolution. This changes the fundamental parameter of material persistence in the environment, eliminating the need for costly recycling processes while maintaining eco-friendliness.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent extracts the harmful waste component by designing a container that completely dissolves in water, leaving no persistent waste. The water-soluble shell material is specifically engineered to break down into harmless byproducts when exposed to water, effectively removing the waste problem associated with conventional biodegradable containers that require expensive recycling infrastructure.
2Duration of action of moving object
If the shell is made fully water-soluble to dissolve quickly, then dissolution is promoted, but the container cannot protect the consumable during use
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies local quality by creating different functional zones on the container shell with varying water solubility characteristics. The exterior surface contains uncoated or lightly coated portions that are highly water-soluble and promote rapid dissolution, while the interior surface maintains a coating that provides water resistance and protects the consumable. This spatial differentiation of material properties allows the same container to simultaneously achieve fast dissolution externally while maintaining internal integrity during use.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent employs composite materials by combining water-soluble shell material with water-insoluble coating materials in a multi-layer structure. The composite construction features an inner coating layer that provides water resistance and structural integrity during the container's service life, and an outer water-soluble layer that enables rapid dissolution after use. This composite approach resolves the contradiction between protection and dissolution by integrating materials with complementary properties.
3Strength
If water insoluble coating is applied to the entire exterior surface, then container integrity is maintained, but dissolution is inhibited
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies local quality by creating different functional zones on the container shell with varying water solubility characteristics. The exterior surface contains uncoated or lightly coated portions that are highly water-soluble and promote rapid dissolution, while the interior surface maintains a coating that provides water resistance and protects the consumable. This spatial differentiation of material properties allows the same container to simultaneously achieve fast dissolution externally while maintaining internal integrity during use.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent applies partial action by coating only specific portions of the exterior surface with water-insoluble material rather than the entire surface. The coating is applied to areas requiring structural strength and protection, while leaving other areas uncoated or lightly coated to facilitate water contact and dissolution. This partial coating strategy optimizes the balance between maintaining container integrity where needed and enabling rapid dissolution where contact with water is desired.
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 container effectively reduces recycling costs by dissolving in water, leaving behind biodegradable remnants that are non-toxic and eco-friendly, simplifying waste management and minimizing environmental impact.
Implementation Method 1
The shell is water soluble... the container may completely dissolve in water over a predetermined period of time
Data Source
AI summary
A container that dissolves. A shell defining the container sized to accommodate a volume of a consumable. The shell is water soluble. The shell defines walls extending upward from a closed bottom. The container includes a first water insoluble layer coating an exterior surface of the walls of the shell. One or more portions of the exterior surface are not coated with the first water insoluble layer promoting the dissolution of the container. The container includes a second water insoluble layer coating an interior of the shell.