Integrated Cap Spigot Assembly for Liquid Container Delivery
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current liquid content delivery in animal health containers is cumbersome, prone to damage or loss, disrupts pallet configuration, increases transportation costs, and poses occupational health and safety risks due to the need for replacing screw caps with draw-off units, which can lead to spillage and exposure to toxic fumes.
Innovation Solution
A container assembly featuring a cap with a removable sealing mechanism and a spigot that allows for internal engagement of delivery means, reducing the need for external draw-off units, incorporating a venting hole for pressure balance and tamper-proof devices for safety assurance.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If screw caps are replaced with external draw-off units for liquid content delivery, then delivery capability is improved, but device complexity and transportation costs increase
Solution Approach 1:
The spigot is integrated within the cap structure, with the feeder nested inside the container and the nipple embedded in the cap. This nested configuration eliminates the need for separate external draw-off units, reducing device complexity while maintaining delivery functionality.
Solution Approach 2:
The invention merges the cap and spigot into a single integrated assembly. The cap includes both the sealing function and the draw-off function through the integrated spigot, combining multiple functions into one component to reduce overall system complexity.
2Ease of operation
If external draw-off units are used for content delivery, then delivery function is achieved, but risk of spillage and exposure to toxic fumes increases
Solution Approach 1:
The feeder is positioned substantially within the container and the nipple within the cap, creating a nested configuration that contains the liquid delivery path inside the sealed container-cap system. This prevents spillage and exposure to toxic fumes during the drawing operation.
3Ease of operation
If external draw-off units are used, then delivery capability is improved, but transportation costs and pallet configuration impact increase
Solution Approach 1:
The cap and spigot are manufactured as an integrated assembly, eliminating the need to transport separate draw-off units. This reduces transportation costs and simplifies pallet configuration by removing additional components that would otherwise need to be shipped and handled separately.
4Ease of operation
If removable sealing means are used for the aperture, then ease of sealing is improved, but risk of tampering increases
Solution Approach 1:
The tamper-evident device incorporates color-changing or visually detectable indicators that show when the removable sealing means has been removed or tampered with. This provides clear visual evidence of tampering while maintaining the ease of removable sealing for legitimate access.
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
Simplifies the draw-off process, enhances occupational safety, minimizes spigot damage, and reduces transportation costs by eliminating the need for additional draw-off units, while effectively preventing spillage and ensuring secure tampering indication.
Implementation Method 1
a venting hole for, upon drawing of the liquid contents from the container, balancing pressure internal and pressure external to the container
Data Source
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AI summary
The present invention relates to a container assembly. According to one aspect of the invention the container assembly 1 generally comprises, a container 12 having an opening (not shown), a cap 14 having an aperture 16 and being adapted to removably engage the container for covering the opening, removable sealing means 18 for sealing the aperture 16, and a spigot 18 adapted to releasably engage delivery means extended into the aperture 16 and facilitate drawing of contents of the container 12 from the container 12. Typically the contents of the container are liquid.