“NEOPRENE RUBBER TOOL TO LESSEN PANELING AND LEAKAGE

OF 5-GALLON WATER CONTAINER”

__________________

An Investigatory

Project Proposal Presented

To The Engineering Department of

Cebu Technological University

Sabang, Danao City

__________________

In Partial Fulfillment

Of the Requirements for the Course

Industrial Materials and Processes

IE-PC 222

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By

JOHN GABRIEL A. CASTRO

JASMINE R. CONDEVILLAMAR

MENCHIE MAE M. DAMAYO

KAYE E. MORALES

SHEENA MAE G. TAC-AN

September 2019
 CHAPTER I

THE PROBLEM AND ITS SCOPE

INTRODUCTION

Rationale of the Study

Water is an essential part in our lives and without proper drinking water;

we can be prone to suffering from health problems in the long-run. Safe drinking

water is becoming scarcer every year. Thankfully, with advanced in filtering and

distillation technology, one can be able to access safe drinking water with ease.

The only problem would then be storage. With so many people opting for filtered

water and best bottled water, getting a 5 gallon water jug would then be really

handy. Rather than have water stored in numerous bottles, just have several 5

gallon water jugs at home which can also come with water dispensers. There are

actually dozens of water delivery companies that are selling a 5 gallon water jug

and they come in different shapes and color. Combined with smart dispensers,

you can have cold, hot and lukewarm drinking water every time.

There are some concerns with using polycarbonate plastic water jugs.

This is a polymer made from a chemical called bisphenol A (BPA). Beverages

stored in polycarbonate plastic likely do contain some amount of BPA, especially

when they are stored at warm temperatures or for prolonged periods of time.

Containers that are older and have become discolored or cracked also are likely

to leach more BPA. A better option for storing beverages is to use an unlined

stainless steel container or to use another type of plastic container, such as

polypropylene, which doesn’t contain BPA. BPA is an endocrine disruptor and in

animal studies has been associated with reproductive abnormalities including

lower sperm counts, hormonal changes, enlarged prostate glands and pre-

cancerous changes in the breast and prostate. There isn’t very much data on

whether BPA could be causing the same problem in humans but the weight of

scientific evidence should prompt us to avoid BPA exposures where possible.

We do know that over 90 percent of the general population carries residues of

BPA in their bodies.

Originally, most of the bottles were made from polycarbonate plastics

which contain BPA. Study shows that exposure to BPA can cause possible

health problems especially to children as it can affect organ function such as

brain and prostate glands. Study also shows that it can affect children’s mental

and physical behavior and can also cause hypertension to an adult and worse,

cancer which leads to the use of PET or polyethylene terephthalate. However,

the use and production of PET is more costly depending on the region and

availability of its raw materials and PET is still prone to paneling and leakage.

Also the recycling of PET is easier; however it could cost twice as much than

recycling other polycarbonate products and as a result, it would add up to the

existing problem of plastic pollution to landfills and other wasteland and could

end up to the environment and oceans polluting it and poisoning wildlife and

other organisms. Thus, the researcher aims to create a technology specifically

neoprene rubber tool as it is the best raw material that would lessen the paneling
and leakage of a 5-gallon water bottles and maximizing the shelf life of the said

plastic bottles as time would come that it is unsafe to use.

Neoprene rubber is a highly resistant material and is also known as

polychloroprene. Neoprene rubber resists degradation more than natural or

synthetic rubber. The rubber has superb weathering and impact resistant

properties (TYM SEALS AND GASKETS LIMITED, 2016).

This study which is entitled, “A Rubber Tool to Lessen the Paneling and

Leakage of a 5-Gallon Water Container” aims to investigate and identify the

reasons of leakage and paneling of plastic bottles and thus creating a technology

specifically neoprene rubber tool that would lessen the leakage and paneling of

water bottles and maintaining the condition of water bottles and maximizing its

shelf life.

REVIEW OF RELATED LITERATURE

The most common bottle receptacle of this reusable polymeric bottle is a

standard 5-gallon plastic jug having a narrow mouth and a flat bottom-portion.

Typically, these 5-gallon jugs having two or more annular rims extending

outwardly from the bottle size wall to facilitate a carrying of the jugs and to

provide rolling surfaces when the jugs are rolled on their sides. Such size gallon

bottled water containers are commercially available from a number of sources

and are typically returned by the user when the water has been consumed
therefrom. The jugs must be transported to and from the filling plant and are

typically sterilized before refilling.

U.S. Pat. No. 5,424,614 (1995). In their patented invention which is

entitled, “Bottle Lifting and Inventing Apparatus”, this relates generally to bottle

lifting devices and more particularly to a device that aids in the transport, lifting

and inverting of a cylindrical water bottle standardly used with the water

dispensing machines. Water distributing companies deliver bulk quantities of

purified water, typically distributed in 5-gallon bottles. Water dispensing units,

designed specifically to hold a 5-gallo bottle of water, are often used in

conjunction with the bottles so that the water is easily and immediately

accessible upon demand. The dispensers are manufactured in a variety of

configurations, but generally all are open at the top so as to accept the mouth of

a 5-gallon water bottle. However, there are several obstacles that frequently

inhibit the process of securing a full bottle in the dispenser. First of all, the full 5-

gallon water bottles weigh more than 40 pounds. Since most water distributors

drop off several full bottles at the door step periodically, a person must carry or

drag several full bottles to a storage area. As the water supply in the dispenser is

depleted, each heavy bottle must be transported from the storage area to the

dispenser. This task alone requires substantial strength. An even greater

problem is that most water dispensers are either positioned on a countertop, or

are designed with a substantial vertical height. While this allows water to be

easily accessed from a standing position, it means a great deal of physical strain

is required to raise the 40-pound bottle of water to the height of the dispenser.
But perhaps the greatest difficulty is trying to properly position the bottle on the

dispenser. This process requires that the bottle should be raised above the

dispenser and quickly inverted and placed into the dispenser’s top opening.

Obviously then, this entire process of transporting, lifting and inverting the bottles

requires a great deal of dexterity and physical strength, and is completely

impossible for many people which eventually leads to accidentally dropping off

the bottle that can harm or cause leakage and panels to the bottle and cause too

much trouble as great deal of water spills from the bottle.

There are numerous devices that can be used to facilitate the transport of

the bottles to the storage area or dispenser, such as a dolly, a cart, a wagon, or

any other type of device with wheels and a support base. However, these

devices are only useful for transporting the bottles, and, as such, a great deal of

effort is still required to lift the bottles onto the transporting device, raise them up

to the height of the dispenser ad inverted the into the proper dispensing position.

U.S. Pat. No.5,255,947, issued to Peter Schwartz (1993), discloses a

device intended to aid in the process of inverting water bottles onto the water

bottles onto the dispenser. As disclosed, the device includes a pair of straps that

encircle a large bottle, pass through a tightening element and a pair of adjusting

elements, and are each secured at the ends to a handle.

According to the reference, in operation, the straps encircle the bottle at a

ridge near the neck, and the adjusting elements are positioned on either side of

the bottle so that the handle can be lifted straight up from the bottle and engaged
to carry the bottle upright. To invert the bottle, the straps are repositioned so that

they encircle the bottle at the ridge near the bottom, and the adjusting elements

are slid together on the same side. The bottle is lifted with one hand on the

bottle’s neck and the other on the device’s handle, using the device as a pivot to

invert the bottle. Although the pivot feature in this device aids in the inversion

process, it still requires that the user carry a significant portion of the bottle’s

weight. While the reference recommends grasping the handle and using the

device to carry the bottle upright, this technique does not lessen the burden of

transporting the bottle. In fact, to carry the 40 pound bottle in such a manner

requires a tremendous amount of arm and hand strength, and is even more

difficult and dangerous than simply using traditional carrying techniques. In

addition, the Schwartz’s device provides no help in raising the bottle to the height

of the dispenser.

U.S. Pat. No. 3,419,240 for GARBAGE CAN PROTECTOR, issued

Dec. 31, 1968 to William V. Santic provides an annular rubber base adapted for

installation on the bottom of garbage or trash containers to deaden the sound

and protect the garbage can bottom when the cans are roughly handled. The

SANTIC apparatus features a pair of concentric, annular ridges adapted to trap a

lower, projecting ridge at the bottom of a garbage can there between. Both ridges

appear to have a rectangular cross-section. In addition, there are no projecting

wings adapted to help prevent a garbage can placed in the SANTIC base from

rotating.
 (Tao Liu et al, 2015) The invention discloses a neoprene material under

the crosslinking effect which forms a closer network structure in melamine resin

formed by melamine, urea and formaldehyde, such that resin viscosity and

tensile deformation resistance are greatly improved, and certain reinforcement

and tackification effects are performed in the rubber material. Therefore, flexure

cracking resistance, hot air aging resistance and stability of the material are

improved.

( Zhang Yidong et al,2008) The invention relates to a chloroprene rubber,

and the method of its application in the manufacture of low temperature

preparation products, seals, dust cover, anti-corrosion lining, cable, wire industry,

rubber parts and the like products. The invention provides a method for making

the neoprene rubber and an application to the manufacture of the products such

as a low temperature product, a sealing strip, a dust helmet, an anticorrosive

lining, a cable, the wire industry and rubber miscellaneous parts.

 RESEARCH METHODOLOGY

MATERIALS AND METHODS

The study will go through a test that will surely measure the effectiveness

of the devised product and address the formulated questions. The data needed

for the study is collected by through an experiment conducted by the

researchers.

Materials

 20mm Neoprene Rubber Sheets

 White Chalk

 Measuring Instruments

 Cutting Blade

 Sulfur

 Vulcanizing Machine
Methods

1. Get the dimensions of the 5-gallon water container using the measuring

the tape.

2. Prepare the 20mm neoprene rubber sheets.

3. Cut the 20mm neoprene rubber sheets using the dimensions of a 5-gallon

water container.

4. Prepare the cut sheets to be molded using the devised molder with the

dimensions of a 5-gallon container.

5. Prepare the molder with the rubber to be processed using the

vulcanization method.

6. Let the temperature of the neoprene rubber to subside for at least 30

minutes

7. Cut the excess rubber to meet the desired shape of the rubber.

Research Design

This research study used the experimental research design. The data

needed for this study was collected through specific experiments conducted by

the researchers. Experimental research design is a type of design in which a

controlled experimental factor is subjected to special treatment for purposes of

comparison with a factor kept constant. The researchers conducted these

experiments to know if the material used suitable to lessen the panels and

leakage of a 5-gallon water container.

 To generate a reliable data reading, the researchers used a process

called drop test. Drop testing and impact testing are used to assess the fragility

of a package product and simulate the shocks packing or palletized product main

counter during manual or mechanical handling. The product is subjected to

repeatable impacts similar to those they will experience in the distribution

environment or from an end user. The researchers made a free fall set up

wherein the durability test is conducted; the set is made up of two posts which

are 2.4 meters away from each other. The 5-gallon water container with and

without the tool was dropped from different heights: 2ft, 4ft and 6 feet. After each

drop, a picture was taken to record the physical condition of the 5-galllon water

container and the aided tool. The data was then analyzed and assessed through

a photographic observation and comparison.

Drop test is conducted because of the following:

 To assist in design validation

 To assess the design by measuring and defining the impact tolerant of the

product

 To identify any modes of failure and or quantify failure levels

VARIABLES

 Independent variable/s – These variables are the raw materials which do

not change by the controlled variable which are the material used which

are rubber and the weight of a 5-gallon water container which is 40

pounds.
  Dependent variable/s – These variables changed depending on the

controlled variables. In this experiment, the physical state of a 5-gallon

water container after the drop test is the dependent variable.

 Controlled variable/s – This includes the height in feet in the process of

drop testing.

Flow of the Research Process

Input Process Output

1. Brainstorming 1. Experimental
2. Investigation of research design
the causes of 2. Durability test NEOPRENE
paneling and through drop RUBBER TOOL
leakage of the
test TO LESSEN
gallon
3. Revising the PANELING AND
3. Devising a plan
or model. model LEAKAGE OF 5-
depending on
GALLON WATER
the result of the
experiment.
CONTAINER

Figure 1.Schematic Flow of the Study

Figure 1 shows the flow of the study which covers the entire research

process.
THE PROBLEM

Statement of the Problem

This project aims to lessen the panels and leakage of a 5-gallon

water container. Furthermore, some questions may follow as:

1. Is the material used suitable to lessen the panels and leakage of a 5-

gallon water container?

2. At what height can the 5-gallon container withstand?

2.1. Without the tool?

2.2. With the aid of the tool?

3. Is there any changes in the following after the drop test?

3.1 Physical structure of the bottle?

3.2 Condition of the tool?

SIGNIFICANCE OF THE STUDY

This product can become a source of helpful information for people who

deals with the production, distribution and consumption of water gallons. These

following benefactors may use the information regarding this product where it

involves the prevention of panels and leakage of a 5-gallon water jug during

transportation.
 Producers, the product will help the producer to have a product with a

slightly appearance and quality image of the owner. This also helps to maintain

the quality of the jug and lessen the damage paneling and leakage of the gallons

during transportation and avoid loss of consumer confidence and sales.

Consumers, this will help the customers to have a longer span usage of

the 5-gallon water jug and maintains the good quality of the gallon even

numerous time of being used. Also, it will help them to secure the gallon’s

condition while transferring it from the storage area to the dispenser when used.

Future Researchers, the information, result and observation from this

study will help them as basis and references who want to conduct related studies

or wish to innovate and continue this research.

DEFINITION OF TERMS

1. BPA (Bisphenol A) – Is an industrial chemical that has been used to make

certain plastics and resins. It is found in polycarbonate plastics like the 5–

gallon water container that is used in the experimentation.

2. Drop Test – An experiment conducted to test the strength of a 5-gallon

water container, in which it is drop under standard conditions from a given

height of 2 feet, 4 feet, and a maximum of 6 feet.

3. Durability – The quality measured in the experimentation and the ability of

a 5-gallon water container to withstand damage.

4. Leakage – an amount of water that is escaping from the container by

means of a crack, hole or other fault.

5. Neoprene Rubber – A material made of synthetic rubber used to make the

product.

6. Paneling – occurs when the pressure inside a plastic bottles becomes less

than the ambient air pressure outside, causing the walls of the bottle to

partially collapse inward.