Container Liquid Trap Segmented Base Design
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Solution Overview
Problem
Containers used in the motor industry face issues with fluid loss due to vehicle acceleration and inclination, leading to prime loss in extraction systems, especially when the container base is flat or nearly flat, resulting in insufficient liquid reserve above the low quantity warning level.
Innovation Solution
The container features leak-tight walls with a base comprising multiple dividing walls and passageways with thresholds, where each passageway forms a low point in one zone and a high point in the adjacent zone, creating angular sectors with angles less than 45°, preferably less than 30°, to trap liquid and maintain a reserve volume, even when the container is inclined or under acceleration.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Volume of moving object
If the container base is made flat or nearly flat to reduce outside volume, then the container occupies smaller external space, but liquid level above the outlet varies significantly under vehicle acceleration and inclination, causing loss of prime in extraction means
Solution Approach 1:
The base is segmented into multiple zones by dividing walls, creating a labyrinthine structure with successive enclosed zones. Each zone has passageways with thresholds that control liquid flow, ensuring liquid is retained in the lowest zone even when the container is inclined or accelerated, thus maintaining prime while keeping the overall base flat
Solution Approach 2:
The zones are arranged in a nested configuration where each zone is enclosed within another, with the outlet located in the innermost lowest zone. This nested labyrinthine structure allows liquid to be trapped in progressively deeper zones, ensuring continuous liquid supply to the outlet regardless of container orientation
2Volume of moving object
If the base is made flat to minimize external volume, then space efficiency improves, but liquid reserve above the outlet becomes insufficient under inclination conditions
Solution Approach 1:
The base is divided into multiple zones by partition walls, creating a segmented labyrinthine structure. Each zone contains a portion of the liquid reserve, with thresholds controlling flow between zones. This segmentation ensures that liquid is distributed and retained across multiple zones, maintaining sufficient liquid reserve above the outlet even when the container is inclined
Solution Approach 2:
Instead of creating liquid retention through vertical height variations in a flat base, the invention uses horizontal segmentation into multiple zones with controlled passageways. This transforms the liquid retention mechanism from a vertical dimension approach to a horizontal labyrinthine path approach, maintaining liquid reserve while keeping the base flat
3Reliability
If dividing walls are added to create zones and passageways with thresholds, then liquid retention under acceleration and inclination improves, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The dividing walls serve multiple functions simultaneously: they create zone separations, form passageways with thresholds, and structure the labyrinthine flow paths. By merging these functions into a single integrated base structure, the invention achieves effective liquid retention without proportionally increasing complexity
Solution Approach 2:
The partition walls and passageway thresholds are designed to perform multiple functions: liquid retention, flow control, and structural support. This multi-functionality reduces the need for additional separate components, thereby limiting the increase in device complexity while achieving reliable liquid retention
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
This design effectively retains a sufficient liquid reserve above the outlet, ensuring continuous feed to the extraction pump and maintaining a predetermined reserve volume, even when the vehicle is inclined or under extreme conditions, preventing prime loss and ensuring reliable operation.
Implementation Method 1
The liquid present in the container flows through this outlet in the direction of the vehicle's controls under the effect of gravity
Data Source
AI summary
A container including sealed walls for containing a liquid, one of the walls forming a container bottom, the container bottom including a plurality of partitions defining therebetween areas contained consecutively inside one another, each of the areas communicating with an adjacent contained area via a passage including a threshold. The threshold of the passage between one area and an adjacent contained area is a low point of the area and a high point of the adjacent contained area, for any given area. The passage between the given area and the area in which the given area is contained, and the passage between the given area and the area contained within the given area are arranged in angular sectors defined by imaginary geometric angles opposed at the vertex thereof, the vertex being located in line with a lower-level area of the container, the angles having a size of less than 45°.