Bottom-Inlet Beverage Container Sealing to Prevent Foam
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional beverage containers for draft beers suffer from excessive foam formation and taste degradation due to air contact when beverages are poured from the top, and existing solutions, such as magnetic force blocking units, are not cost-effective and pose sanitation risks.
Innovation Solution
A beverage container with a bottom inlet that uses a holder and locking member with elastic arms to control the opening and closing of the injection hole, preventing foam and air contact, and featuring a packing member to seal gaps, thus maintaining beverage quality and reducing manufacturing costs.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If beverages are poured from the top of the container, then the pouring process is simple, but excessive foam formation occurs and beverage taste degrades due to air contact
Solution Approach 1:
The patent inverts the conventional pouring method by injecting the beverage from the bottom of the container upward through a nozzle, rather than pouring from the top. This inversion prevents foam formation and minimizes air contact, thereby maintaining beverage taste while still achieving easy operation through automated injection
2Object-affected harmful factors
If a hole is formed in the bottom of the container for bottom injection, then foam formation is reduced, but sealing the hole after injection becomes difficult
Solution Approach 1:
The patent segments the bottom injection system into distinct components: a removable holder containing the nozzle, and a separate sealing mechanism with an O-ring. This segmentation allows the injection hole to be easily sealed by simply removing the holder, eliminating the complexity of sealing a permanent hole while maintaining the foam-reduction benefit
3Reliability
If magnetic force blocking units are used to seal the inlet, then the inlet can be sealed after injection, but manufacturing costs increase and sanitation risks arise
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces expensive magnetic force blocking units with a simple, inexpensive holder-sealing assembly that can be easily manufactured and disposed of or reused. The holder with its integrated O-ring seal provides reliable inlet sealing without the high cost and sanitation concerns of magnetic components, aligning with the principle of using simple, cost-effective sealing solutions
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 container effectively minimizes foam formation and maintains beverage taste by injecting from the bottom, ensuring the inlet is sealed after use, enhancing usability and manufacturing efficiency while avoiding harmful materials, thus being safer and more cost-effective.
Implementation Method 1
a locking member (28) which is coupled to the elevating wall body (22) of the holder (20) and has a plurality of elastic arms (29) elastically and downwardly supporting the holder (20)
Data Source
AI summary
A beverage container has a body having an inlet which is formed so as to penetrate the bottom of a receiving unit. A holder is coupled to the inlet to open and close the inlet upon ascending or descending with a nozzle of a beverage supply device being inserted into the holder. A locking member is coupled to the ascending/descending wall of the holder to allow the holder to close the inlet. The locking member has a plurality of elastic arms for elastically supporting the holder.