Air-Return Valve Lip Structure for Leak-Free Pressure Compensation
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Existing air-return valves for containers, such as milk bottles, face issues with liquid leakage, poor sealing, and difficulty in installation, while also allowing bubbles to enter and oxidize the contents.
Innovation Solution
An air-return valve with a valve body and air path, featuring a valve lip portion with an air gap that closes under non-negative pressure and opens under negative pressure, ensuring reliable sealing and preventing liquid leakage.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If a silicone return air bottom plug is arranged on the bottle body to balance negative pressure, then flatulence and milk oxidation problems are solved, but liquid leakage occurs at the plug and sealing is poor
Solution Approach 1:
The air return valve is segmented into multiple functional parts: a valve body with air path, a valve lip portion with air gap, and a diaphragm. This segmentation allows each part to perform its specific function - the valve body provides structural support, the valve lip portion controls air intake, and the diaphragm responds to pressure changes, collectively achieving reliable sealing while preventing liquid leakage
Solution Approach 2:
The air gap in the valve lip portion acts as an intermediary mechanism between the internal and external environments. It selectively allows air to pass through when negative pressure occurs while blocking liquid due to surface tension and the narrow gap geometry, thus solving both the negative pressure balance and liquid leakage problems
2Reliability
If an air-return valve is provided at the nipple to feed air into the milk bottle when negative pressure occurs, then negative pressure problem is solved, but bubbles enter the milk causing flatulence and oxidation
Solution Approach 1:
The air return function is extracted from the nipple area and relocated to the bottom of the bottle body. This extraction ensures that air enters the bottle from the bottom rather than passing through the milk and nipple, eliminating bubble contamination while maintaining negative pressure balance
Solution Approach 2:
The air gap structure converts the potential harm of air bubbles into a beneficial selective filtration mechanism. The narrow air gap allows air molecules to pass through via surface tension effects while blocking larger liquid droplets and bubbles, turning a potential contamination source into a protective feature
3Reliability
If a silicone return air bottom plug is used, then air return function is achieved, but the plug is difficult to install and positioning is hard
Solution Approach 1:
The valve body is designed as an integrated structure where the air path, valve lip portion, and diaphragm are combined into a single unit. This merging eliminates the need for separate assembly of multiple components, making installation straightforward while maintaining the air return function
Solution Approach 2:
The valve body is designed with specific local features such as the valve lip portion with controlled wall thickness and the air gap positioned at critical locations. These local quality variations enable the valve to self-position and self-align during installation, simplifying the installation process while ensuring proper function
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 air-return valve effectively compensates for negative pressure in containers, preventing liquid leakage and oxidation, while ensuring reliable operation and easy installation.
Implementation Method 1
the air gap is closed when interior of the container is under a non-negative pressure and is opened when the interior of the container is under the negative pressure
Implementation Method 2
the valve lip portion is a boss enclosed with a diaphragm and a wall thickness of the valve lip portion is less than that of the valve body portion
Data Source
Figure 1~3
Figure 4
AI summary
Disclosed are an air-return valve and an air-return container. The air-return valve (1) comprises a valve body and an air path formed along an axis of the valve body. The valve body comprises a valve lip portion (3) and a valve body portion, wherein the valve lip portion is located above the valve body portion, and is a boss enclosed by a diaphragm, and the wall thickness of the valve lip portion is less than that of the valve body portion; and the air path penetrates the valve body portion, and the valve lip portion is provided with an air gap (2) connected to the air path. The air gap is closed when the interior of a container is not under a negative pressure; and the air gap is open when the interior of the container is under a negative pressure. The air-return container (13) comprises a container body and an air-return valve, wherein the container body is provided with a mounting hole (14), and the air-return valve is in interference fit with the mounting hole. The air-return valve can have a one-way communication effect, and makes air return to the air-return container to compensate for a negative pressure in the air-return container, such that a user easily ingests liquid in the air-return container; and when used as a milk bottle, the air-return container can prevent infantile flatulence and milk oxidation.