Bi-Material Sealed Container Flange to Prevent Seizing
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing sealed containers with stainless steel flanges experience seizing issues due to friction, leading to maintenance challenges, wear, and potential irreversible damage, especially during autoclave sterilization and washing processes.
Innovation Solution
A sealed container design featuring a bi-material flange with a plastic outer sleeve and a stainless steel inner sleeve, allowing for a bayonet connection that reduces friction and facilitates easy maintenance, while being resistant to autoclave sterilization and washing, and incorporating an annular seal without water retention zones.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Strength
If stainless steel flanges are used for connection, then strength and durability are improved, but friction causes seizing and wear over time
Solution Approach 1:
The flange is constructed as a composite structure combining stainless steel (for strength) and PTFE (for low friction). The PTFE layer is applied as a coating or inlay on the friction surfaces of the stainless steel flange, creating a bi-material system that simultaneously provides the strength of metal and the non-stick properties of plastic.
2Reliability
If rollers and pads are inserted in lugs to reduce friction, then seizing is prevented, but maintenance complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The invention extracts the friction-reduction function from separate removable components (rollers and pads) and integrates it directly into the flange structure itself. The PTFE is applied directly to the flange's friction surfaces, eliminating the need for separate maintenanceable components and simplifying the overall device structure.
3Reliability
If rollers are used to reduce friction, then seizing is prevented, but roller blocking and wear during autoclave and washing occurs
Solution Approach 1:
The invention changes the material parameter of the friction surface from metal or standard plastic to PTFE, which has exceptional chemical inertness, heat resistance, and non-stick properties. This material parameter change enables the flange to withstand autoclave sterilization and harsh washing conditions without degradation, blocking, or wear.
4Reliability
If removable lugs made of antifriction material are used, then seizing is reduced, but maintenance becomes tedious and difficult
Solution Approach 1:
The invention merges the antifriction material (PTFE) directly with the flange structure through coating or inlay application. This integration eliminates the need for separate removable lugs and simplifies maintenance, as the PTFE layer becomes an inherent part of the flange that requires no separate maintenance actions.
Data Source
AI summary
The invention relates to a sealed container (1) comprising a container body (2) having a through-hole (8) that is delimited by a flange and is closed by a removable door (7) mounted on the flange and an annular seal located between the flange and the door (7), characterized in that the flange consists of two separate concentric sleeves, one of the sleeves defining an outer flange body (5) arranged to allow a connection of the container body (2) to a flange having a complementary shape on an enclosure, the other sleeve defining an inner flange body (6) arranged to allow a connection of the door (7) to the flange, the outer flange body (5) being made entirely or partially of a resistant plastic material selected from plastics that are resistant to autoclave sterilization cycles, while the inner flange body (6) is made of a metal alloy.