Conductive Plastic Tapping Armature for Liquid Containers
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing tapping armatures for liquid transport and storage containers face issues with leak-proofing, incompatibility with certain liquid foods due to metal parts, and risk of electrical grounding failure when handling aggressive liquids, especially in containers with metal components.
Innovation Solution
A plastic armature housing with a metal mesh or sheet metal outer casing and a conductive plastic pallet-like base, featuring a threaded flange made from non-conductive plastic for secure attachment to the inner container's drain port, and a grounding lead from conductive plastic for safe electrical grounding, produced using 2K injection molding technology.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If a metal grounding element is used in the tapping armature, then electrical grounding is achieved, but the armature becomes incompatible with certain liquid foods and may be damaged by aggressive liquids
Solution Approach 1:
The patent changes the material parameter of the grounding element from metal to electrically conductive plastic, maintaining electrical conductivity while eliminating incompatibility with food liquids. The conductive plastic achieves the necessary electrical properties without the chemical reactivity issues of metal.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent uses composite material construction where the armature housing is made of plastic and the grounding element is made of electrically conductive plastic, combining the benefits of plastic (chemical inertness, food safety) with electrical conductivity needed for grounding.
2Strength
If a fixing screw is used to attach the metal grounding element, then the grounding element is secured, but the armature housing may become leak-prone
Solution Approach 1:
The patent removes the fixing screw from the design and instead integrates the grounding element directly into the armature housing using injection molding. This eliminates the penetration hole that would compromise the seal while maintaining secure attachment through molecular bonding.
Solution Approach 2:
The grounding element and armature housing are merged into a single integrated component manufactured in one injection molding process. This integration eliminates separate fastening elements and potential leak paths while maintaining structural integrity.
3Reliability
If antistatic means are equipped in the plastic armature housing, then electrical charges are dissipated, but the production cost increases significantly
Solution Approach 1:
Instead of making the entire armature housing antistatic (which would be expensive), the patent applies electrical conductivity only to the grounding element and grounding lead portions, achieving the necessary charge dissipation function at minimal cost.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent uses relatively inexpensive electrically conductive plastic for the grounding elements rather than expensive antistatic treatments or materials, providing cost-effective electrical safety for single-use or limited-life containers.
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 solution provides safe and cost-effective electrical grounding for liquid containers, ensuring leak-proofing and compatibility with all liquids, including aggressive ones, while avoiding the expense of antistatic materials.
Implementation Method 1
the connecting flange and the grounding lead are produced in two production steps with an injection molding machine according to 2K technology
Implementation Method 2
enable safe electrical grounding of the liquid that flows out of the inner container when it is emptied, via an electrical grounding lead
Implementation Method 3
a threaded flange made from non-conductive plastic for secure attachment to the inner container's drain port
Data Source
AI summary
A tapping armature having an armature housing is made from plastic for liquid transport and storage containers, which are equipped with a plastic inner container having a filling port and a drain port for connection of the tapping armature, an outer casing made from metal mesh or sheet metal, and a pallet-like base made from metal. The tapping armature with the filling port of the armature housing is screwed to a connecting flange designed as a threaded flange and made from an electrically non-conductive plastic material, which is welded to the drain port of the inner container. The connecting flange of the armature housing is connected to the base of the outer casing of the transport and storage container via an grounding lead made from an electrically conductive plastic material. The connecting flange and the grounding lead are produced in two production steps with an injection molding machine according to 2K technology. In a further embodiment of the tapping armature, the connecting flange and the grounding cable are injection molded as a single part from an electrically conductive plastic, and the grounding cable is connected to the flange ring of the connecting flange by a tear-off film.