Container lid
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Solution Overview
Problem
Drinking container lids often fail to adequately seal the drinking opening, leading to leakage when the container is shaken or tilted, and straw slits in existing lids also allow leakage.
Innovation Solution
A container lid with a rotatable cover that positions a gasket with a slit to align or misalign with the drinking opening, featuring a catch, O-ring, and detents to secure the cover in multiple positions, including a straw-receiving, open, and closed configurations to prevent leakage.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of manufacture
If a tab is formed with the cover to block the drinking opening, then the structure is simple, but the sealing effectiveness is insufficient causing leakage
Solution Approach 1:
The cover is made rotatable relative to the base, allowing it to dynamically switch between blocking and non-blocking positions. This dynamic configuration enables the cover to effectively seal the drinking opening when needed while maintaining simplicity in structure.
Solution Approach 2:
A gasket with a slit is introduced as an intermediary element between the cover and the drinking opening. The gasket provides the sealing function that the simple tab structure cannot achieve, while the slit allows the gasket to flex and conform to the opening for effective sealing.
2Ease of operation
If a slit is provided in the lid for straw insertion, then straw access is enabled, but leakage occurs through the slit
Solution Approach 1:
The cover can be rotated to different positions: when rotated to cover the drinking opening, the slit in the gasket aligns with the opening to allow straw insertion; when rotated to block the opening, the slit is misaligned to prevent leakage. This dynamic positioning resolves the contradiction between straw access and leakage prevention.
3Ease of operation
If the drinking opening is exposed for direct drinking, then ease of drinking is improved, but leakage risk increases during agitation
Solution Approach 1:
The rotatable cover provides a dynamic sealing mechanism that can be positioned to block the drinking opening when the container is agitated or tilted, preventing leakage. When not in use, the cover can be rotated to expose the opening for convenient direct drinking.
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 lid effectively reduces or prevents liquid leakage during agitation or tilting by aligning the gasket slit with the drinking opening when a straw is inserted and covers the opening when not in use, ensuring secure sealing.
Implementation Method 1
an O-ring disposed around the catch
Implementation Method 2
the gasket includes a plurality of deflectable flaps
Data Source
AI summary
A container lid includes a base defining (1) a base receiver centrally disposed in the base, and (2) a drinking opening off-center in the base. A cover, defining a straw opening, includes a catch rotatably disposed in the receiver. A gasket defines a slit aligned with the straw opening for receiving a straw. The cover is rotatably positionable in a first position where the slit is aligned with the drinking opening. The cover is rotatably positionable in a second position where the slit is mis-aligned with the drinking opening.