Container Stopper with Annular Spring for Low-Temperature Sealing
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Container systems for liquids used in biological and pharmaceutical applications experience leakage issues during low temperature storage and transport due to contraction of the stopper, leading to undesirable leaks when cycled between low temperatures and ambient conditions.
Innovation Solution
Incorporation of an annular spring element with a resilient, high-performance thermoplastic polymer, such as polyketone, within the container system to maintain a seal between the stopper and container, utilizing a unitary, tear-drop shaped geometry or other asymmetrical configurations that provide bias against the stopper's flange, ensuring compression and sealing even at extreme temperatures.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of manufacture
If a conventional stopper made of resilient thermoplastic or elastomer is used, then the container is simple to manufacture and assemble, but the stopper contracts at low temperatures causing liquid leakage
Solution Approach 1:
The stopper is constructed as a composite structure combining an elastomeric body portion with an integrated flange made of a different material (thermoplastic or metal). This composite design allows each component to have optimized properties: the elastomer provides resilience and sealing capability while the flange material provides dimensional stability and sealing surface at low temperatures, preventing contraction-related leakage.
Solution Approach 2:
Different portions of the stopper are made from materials with different thermal and mechanical properties. The body portion uses elastomer for flexibility and sealing, while the flange uses a material with lower thermal contraction to maintain seal integrity at cold temperatures. This local differentiation of material properties resolves the contradiction between ease of manufacture and sealing reliability.
2Reliability
If the stopper is made of elastomeric material, then the stopper provides good sealing, but the stopper contracts during low temperature storage causing leakage
Solution Approach 1:
The stopper combines elastomeric material (for sealing performance) with a thermally stable flange material (for dimensional stability). The elastomeric body maintains good sealing through its resilient properties, while the thermally stable flange prevents contraction during low-temperature storage, thus maintaining both sealing performance and dimensional stability.
Solution Approach 2:
The stopper is designed with local quality differentiation where the body portion uses elastomer for sealing while the flange uses a thermally stable material. This allows the stopper to have good sealing performance where needed while maintaining dimensional stability in the flange region during temperature cycling.
3Ease of manufacture
If a simple stopper design is used, then the container is inexpensive to construct, but leakage occurs during temperature cycling
Solution Approach 1:
The stopper uses a cost-effective composite design combining elastomer and thermoplastic or metal flange. This provides leak prevention during temperature cycling while remaining inexpensive to manufacture, as the materials are commonly used and the molding process remains straightforward.
Solution Approach 2:
The stopper applies local quality by using elastomer only where sealing is needed and thermally stable material only where dimensional stability is critical. This targeted approach prevents leakage during temperature cycling while keeping the overall construction cost low by avoiding expensive materials throughout the entire stopper.
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 container system effectively prevents leakage during low temperature storage and transport, maintaining sterility and preventing fluid loss across a wide temperature range while remaining simple and inexpensive to manufacture and assemble.
Implementation Method 1
an annular spring element located in the channel between the cap and stopper
Implementation Method 2
during particularly low temperature storage and transport, such as when the container is stored and transported at temperatures between −70° C. to −120° C., the stopper can contract
Data Source
AI summary
A container system for liquids includes a container body with a mouth, a resilient stopper and a cap. The stopper has a body portion closely received within the mouth, and an annular flange projecting radially outward from the body. A resilient annular spring element is located between the flange of the stopper and the cap, and biases the flange against the mouth of the container when the container is assembled and maintains a seal between the flange and cap. In one embodiment, the spring element has a unitary, tear-drop shaped geometry in cross-section with a rounded bulbous body portion smoothly tapering to a curved, radially-inwardly projecting lip, although the spring element could have other asymmetrical configurations such as a cone, helical, V, S or C shape in cross-section. The spring element defines at least two separate points of contact between the flange of the stopper and cap.