Liquid Container Sealing Unit With Flexible Skirt Air Venting
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing sealing systems for liquid containers, particularly those with rigid walls, fail to provide a reliable liquid- and air-tight closure, are prone to wear due to high-PH substances and temperature changes, and do not adequately manage air venting during filling and dispensing, leading to spoilage, hygiene issues, and reduced lifespan.
Innovation Solution
A sealing unit with a tubular element and a valve that includes a flexible skirt portion, allowing for axial movement between closed and open positions, and air flow openings, ensuring airtight and liquid-tight sealing while enabling air and liquid flow in opposite directions during filling and dispensing.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Strength
If a rigid male element and rigid female element with rigid plug are used for sealing, then structural strength is improved, but liquid-tight closure reliability deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces a flexible membrane element that can deform to create a liquid-tight seal between rigid container components. This flexible membrane is positioned within the rigid structure to provide the necessary sealing action, combining the strength of rigid elements with the sealing capability of flexible materials.
Solution Approach 2:
The sealing system combines rigid structural elements (male and female connections) with flexible sealing elements (membrane and plug) to create a composite sealing system. This allows the rigid components to provide structural strength while the flexible components ensure liquid-tight closure.
2Manufacturing precision
If rigid connections are used for sealing, then manufacturing precision is improved, but wear resistance deteriorates due to high-PH substances and temperature changes
Solution Approach 1:
The flexible membrane and plug elements can accommodate dimensional changes and wear without compromising the seal integrity. These flexible components can deform to maintain sealing contact even when rigid elements experience wear or thermal expansion, thereby improving wear resistance while maintaining manufacturing precision benefits.
3Ease of operation
If flexible container walls are used, then air venting during filling and dispensing is improved, but container structural strength deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The container system is segmented into rigid structural components and flexible sealing components. The rigid container body provides structural strength, while the flexible membrane and plug elements provide air venting capability during filling and dispensing operations by deforming to allow air passage.
4Duration of action of stationary object
If a sealing system is designed for reusable containers, then container lifespan is improved, but sealing reliability deteriorates due to repeated use and wear
Solution Approach 1:
The flexible membrane and plug elements are designed to accommodate repeated deformation cycles during filling and dispensing operations. These flexible components can return to their original shape after each use cycle, maintaining sealing reliability over extended container lifespans despite repeated mechanical stress.
Solution Approach 2:
The sealing system incorporates design features that anticipate wear and deformation from repeated use. The flexible elements are pre-designed with sufficient elasticity and durability to compensate for wear that will occur during the container's reusable lifecycle, maintaining sealing effectiveness throughout the extended service life.
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 sealing unit provides reliable, airtight sealing and venting capabilities, reducing contamination risks and extending the lifespan of containers by allowing controlled air and liquid flow, suitable for reusable and refillable containers.
Implementation Method 1
a flexible skirt part configured to bend when the tubular valve portion is moved from the closed position to the open position under influence of an external axial force
Data Source
AI summary
Sealing unit (200) for selectively sealing and opening a container liquid opening (101) in a liquid container (100) for holding a liquid, comprising: -a tubular element (210) comprising a liquid passage (211); -a valve (220) arranged inside the liquid passage (211) comprising: -a tubular valve portion (229) axially movable inside the liquid passage (211) between a closed position and an open position; -a valve skirt portion (219) comprising a flexible skirt part (224) configured to bend when the tubular valve portion (229) is moved from the closed position to the open position under influence of an external axial force and to urge the tubular valve portion (229) back from the open position to the closed portion when the external a axial force is removed or reduced; wherein the tubular element (210) further comprises an air flow opening (259) arranged to be covered by the valve skirt portion (219) when the tubular valve portion (229) is in the closed position and to be left open when the tubular valve portion (229) is in the open position.