Aseptic Screw-Cap Assembly Reusable Plug
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing fluid transfer assemblies for flexible containers lack suitable methods for creating and maintaining reusable aseptic seals, leading to difficulties in opening and re-sealing spout assemblies without damage, and often result in fragile mechanisms that break or degrade.
Innovation Solution
A fluid transfer assembly comprising a spout, a screw cap body, and an aseptic plug that forms a fluid-tight seal, allowing for easy filling and dispensing while maintaining aseptic properties, with the aseptic plug being reusable and capable of withstanding multiple insertions and removals.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If existing fluid transfer assemblies use traditional spout closure mechanisms, then the assembly can be opened and closed, but the closure mechanism becomes fragile and breaks or degrades after multiple uses
Solution Approach 1:
The closure system is divided into separate functional components: a reusable screw cap body that remains attached to the spout, and a disposable aseptic plug that is inserted and removed. This segmentation allows the structural cap to be durable while the sealing plug can be replaced when degraded, resolving the contradiction between reusability and reliability.
Solution Approach 2:
The aseptic plug is designed as a disposable component that is inserted into the screw cap body to create the seal. After use, the plug is discarded rather than reused, ensuring that the sealing function is always performed by a fresh, intact plug even though the cap body is reused multiple times.
2Adaptability or versatility
If existing fluid transfer assemblies use traditional sealing methods, then fluid can be transferred, but the assembly cannot maintain aseptic conditions during opening and re-sealing
Solution Approach 1:
The aseptic plug is pre-formed with sealing surfaces and features designed to create an aseptic barrier. Before the spout is opened for dispensing, the plug is inserted into the screw cap body to establish the aseptic seal, ensuring contamination-free conditions are already in place before any opening operations occur.
Solution Approach 2:
The aseptic plug acts as an intermediary barrier between the sterile fluid inside the container and the external environment. This intermediate sealing element allows the system to open and close while maintaining aseptic conditions, as the plug can be inserted to restore the barrier after opening.
3Device complexity
If existing fluid transfer assemblies use simple spout designs, then the structure is simple, but the spout cannot be reliably opened and re-sealed without damage
Solution Approach 1:
The spout assembly is segmented into the spout body, screw cap body, and aseptic plug as separate components. This segmentation allows each component to be optimized for its specific function while maintaining overall simplicity, enabling reliable opening and re-sealing operations.
Solution Approach 2:
The screw cap body serves multiple functions: it provides structural support for the spout opening, accepts the aseptic plug insertion, and can be threaded onto the spout. This multi-functionality achieves reliable re-sealing capability without requiring complex mechanisms.
Data Source
AI summary
Disclosed herein is a fluid transfer assembly for dispensing flowable material from a container, the fluid transfer assembly having a spout, a screw cap body, and an aseptic plug, wherein the aseptic plug is configured to form an aseptic seal with the screw cap body.