Applicator Head Sealing Element for Airtight Container Connection
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Existing discharge heads for pasty media do not provide an airtight seal and are not easily or automatically connectable to containers, leading to exposure of high-quality products to the atmosphere, which can result in degradation or contamination.
Innovation Solution
A discharge head with a one-piece design featuring a sealing element and inlet valve made from elastically deformable plastics, such as TPE, which forms a snap connection with the container, creating a peristaltic pump system for metered dispensing without direct contact, ensuring airtight sealing and easy assembly.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If a discharge head is connected to a container using conventional methods (screwing, latching, gluing, or welding), then the connection can be established, but the sealing is not airtight and the assembly process is complex and not suitable for automated production
Solution Approach 1:
The sealing element is merged with the discharge head housing to form a single integrated component. This integration eliminates the need for separate sealing elements that require complex assembly steps, while ensuring consistent and reliable airtight sealing between the discharge head and container.
Solution Approach 2:
The sealing element is made from elastically deformable plastic material that can flexibly adapt to the container opening geometry. This flexibility allows the sealing element to form an airtight seal without requiring precise mechanical adjustments or complex fastening mechanisms, enabling both reliable sealing and simplified assembly.
2Reliability
If the sealing element is made from rigid materials, then it provides structural support, but it cannot adapt to container geometry and achieve airtight sealing
Solution Approach 1:
The sealing element utilizes elastically deformable plastic material that can flexibly conform to various container opening geometries. This flexibility allows the sealing surface to adapt to different shapes and sizes while maintaining structural integrity and achieving reliable airtight sealing.
Solution Approach 2:
The sealing element's physical parameters (elasticity, deformability) are specifically selected to enable geometry adaptation. The material properties allow the sealing element to deform under assembly forces and conform to the container opening, then maintain the adapted shape to ensure airtight sealing.
3Ease of manufacture
If multiple separate components are used in the discharge head, then manufacturing flexibility is improved, but assembly becomes complex and time-consuming
Solution Approach 1:
The sealing element and housing are combined into a single integrated component that can be manufactured in one piece using injection molding. This merging eliminates multiple assembly steps while maintaining manufacturing flexibility through modular design of the overall discharge head system.
Solution Approach 2:
The discharge head is segmented into functional modules (housing with integrated sealing, metering chamber, outlet valve) that can be manufactured separately and then quickly assembled. This modular segmentation maintains manufacturing flexibility while enabling efficient assembly processes suitable for automated production.
4Ease of operation
If the container is left open for easy access, then product removal is simple, but the product is exposed to the atmosphere causing degradation and contamination
Solution Approach 1:
The sealing function is extracted from the container closure system and integrated into the discharge head. This allows the container to remain closed and airtight while the discharge head provides controlled access to the product, eliminating atmospheric exposure during storage and only opening during controlled dispensing operations.
Solution Approach 2:
The discharge head acts as an intermediary between the sealed container and the user. It maintains the airtight seal during storage and provides controlled access during dispensing, thus mediating between the need for product protection and ease of access without direct atmospheric exposure.
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 solution allows for airtight sealing, preventing product degradation, facilitating easy and automated assembly, and enabling precise, tactile dispensing of pasty media without exposing it to the atmosphere, thus maintaining product quality.
Implementation Method 1
The sealing element is made of an elastically and/or plastically deformable material which conforms to a corresponding geometry on the container
Implementation Method 2
a negative pressure can be generated in the metering chamber by resetting the actuating element and, due to a negative pressure in the metering chamber, a medium can be conveyed via the inlet valve into the metering chamber
Data Source
Figure 1~2
Figure 3~5
Figure 6~7
AI summary
The invention relates to an applicator head (3) for applying a preferably pasty medium from a container, comprising a metering chamber (5), a first housing part (30) which at least partly delimits the metering chamber (5) and which comprises an actuating element, and a second housing part (31), said first housing part (30) and second housing part (31) forming a component which can be connected to a container (2) that stores the medium and which surrounds the container (2). The medium can be transported from the container (2) into the metering chamber (5) and/or applied from the metering chamber (5) by actuating the actuating element (6), and a sealing element (40) is provided which is made of a plastically or elastically deformable plastic material, is designed such that the container (2) can be sealingly closed by the component, and is produced as a common component together with at least one other element of the applicator head. The invention further relates to dispenser for a preferably pasty medium, comprising a container (2) for storing a medium and an applicator head (3) connected to the container (2).