Conical Lid Specimen Container Seal Integrity
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing specimen containers with lids face challenges in maintaining a reliable, leak-proof seal under varying environmental conditions, including pressure differentials and mechanical shock, which can lead to leakage during transport and storage of biological samples.
Innovation Solution
A conically shaped lid with a thermoplastic material and an audible locking mechanism that ensures a secure seal by using a conical shape to create a mechanical buttress, pushing the lid's annular wall against the container's cylindrical sidewalls, and an audible click sound to confirm proper attachment, enhancing the seal's integrity.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If a conventional lid and container sealing system is used, then the device complexity is low, but the reliability of the seal deteriorates under varying environmental conditions such as pressure differentials and mechanical shock
Solution Approach 1:
The lid interior surface is configured with a conical shape featuring a central apex and sloping sides that transition to an annular sealing surface. This curved geometric configuration distributes mechanical shock and pressure differential forces across the sealing interface, preventing localized stress concentrations that could compromise seal integrity while maintaining structural simplicity.
Solution Approach 2:
The lid and container are constructed from resilient materials capable of elastic deformation. Under pressure differentials or mechanical shock, the resilient construction allows the lid to flex and conform to the container, maintaining the seal without requiring complex mechanical locking mechanisms or multiple sealing components.
2Reliability
If a resilient sealing system is used to accommodate pressure differentials, then the reliability improves, but the loss of substance increases due to potential leakage pathways
Solution Approach 1:
The conical lid interior creates a localized mechanical buttress effect at the apex and along the sloping surfaces. This geometric feature actively pushes the lid's annular sealing surface against the container's rim, creating a focused high-pressure sealing zone that prevents sample leakage while accommodating overall pressure differentials through the resilient material's elastic deformation.
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 effectively maintains a leak-proof seal under diverse environmental conditions, including vacuum transport, ensuring the integrity of biological samples during medical procedures and storage.
Implementation Method 1
the possibility of even a small amount of the liquid leaking from the container is unacceptable... the internal pressure within the container to create a pressure differential... the conically shaped interior portion provides a mechanical buttress that ensures a secure seal... internal pressures will push the point of the cone outward, thereby forcing the annular wall of the lid against the cylindrical sidewalls of the container
Data Source
AI summary
A specimen container system (800) includes a lid (100) and a container (400). The lid (100) has an annular wall (201) and a central surface (104). The central surface (104) is configured to be conically shaped by tapering from the annular wall (201) to a point (208) disposed at an inner portion of the central surface (104). The container (400) and lid (100) can also include an audible locking system where a cantilevered audible lock projection (602) extending from the container (400) engages an audible lock actuation protrusion (217) extending from the lid (100) to make a click sound when the lid (100) is seated on the container (400).