Button-Actuated Gasket Pusher Seal Mechanism
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing storage containers with lids lack an efficient mechanism for sealing, as they often rely on simple mechanical or gasket-based solutions that may not provide a secure or reliable seal, especially under varying conditions.
Innovation Solution
A storage container assembly with a lid that incorporates a button, a cam mechanism, gasket pushers, and tensile connector elements, where the button's movement pivots the gasket pushers to expand the gasket, creating a secure seal by contacting the container's inner surface.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Device complexity
If a simple mechanical or gasket-based sealing mechanism is used, then the device complexity is reduced, but the reliability of the seal deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The patent employs a dynamic sealing mechanism where the gasket transitions between expanded and contracted states based on button position. The gasket is biased in an expanded sealing state by a spring mechanism, and can be contracted by pressing the button to open the container. This dynamic behavior allows the seal to adapt to different operational states (sealed vs. open) while maintaining reliability through the biased expanded position that ensures consistent sealing contact.
Solution Approach 2:
The sealing mechanism is divided into distinct functional segments: the gasket itself, the spring biasing mechanism, the button actuation system, and the cam or lever mechanism that translates button motion to gasket contraction. This segmentation allows each component to perform its specific function efficiently while simplifying the overall design compared to a monolithic sealing system.
2Reliability
If a secure seal is achieved through expanded gasket contact, then the seal reliability is improved, but the device complexity increases due to additional mechanisms
Solution Approach 1:
The spring biasing mechanism automatically maintains the gasket in an expanded sealing state without requiring active control or additional energy input. The spring continuously exerts force to keep the gasket pressed against the container opening, providing self-service sealing that enhances reliability while minimizing the complexity of control systems.
Solution Approach 2:
The sealing mechanism operates through periodic action where the button is pressed to temporarily contract the gasket for opening, and then releases to allow the spring to re-expand the gasket for sealing. This periodic contraction and expansion cycle allows the system to maintain reliability through consistent sealing contact while using a simple on/off actuation mechanism rather than continuous complex control.
3Reliability
If the gasket is maintained in an expanded state for sealing, then the seal reliability is improved, but the force required to open the container increases
Solution Approach 1:
The opening force is distributed across multiple points of contact through segmented gasket pushers or leverage points rather than requiring concentrated force at a single location. The cam or lever mechanism divides the opening action into sequential movements at different locations, reducing the peak force required while maintaining the expanded sealing state through the spring bias.
Solution Approach 2:
The mechanism transitions the gasket from a static expanded sealing state to a dynamic contracted state during opening. The spring provides continuous biasing force that maintains sealing, while the button actuation dynamically overcomes this force through mechanical advantage (cam or lever) to contract the gasket temporarily for opening, then releases to allow automatic return to the sealed state.
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 mechanism ensures a reliable and secure seal by maintaining the gasket in an expanded state, effectively sealing the container, and allows for easy assembly and disassembly, facilitating easy stacking and use.
Implementation Method 1
The gasket is moveable between a contracted state and an expanded state. Each gasket pusher is moveable in a second axial direction, which is transverse to the first axial direction, between a retracted position and an extended position. Each gasket pusher pushes the gasket toward the expanded state when moving from the retracted position toward the extended position.
Data Source
AI summary
A storage container assembly includes a container and a lid. The lid includes a top lid, a button, a gasket, a gasket pusher, and an arm. The button is moveable in a first axial direction between a projected position in which a top surface of the button is offset from an upper surface of the lid and a depressed position in which the top surface of the button is nearer to the upper surface. The gasket is moveable between a contracted state and an expanded state. The gasket pusher is moveable in a second axial direction, which is transverse to the first axial direction, and pushes the gasket. The arm operatively connects the button with the gasket pusher. Movement of the button from the projected position toward the depressed position results in pivotal movement of the arm and moves the gasket pusher in the second axial direction.