Disposable Absorber Adapter With Angled Lip Seals

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Solution Overview

Problem

Existing absorber holders in breathing systems face challenges with gas-tight connections that are difficult to establish and prone to leaks due to unevenness, contamination, and high force requirements, leading to premature gasket failure.

Innovation Solution

The adapter and absorber holder system features angled sealing surfaces and multiple lip seals to ensure a gas-tight connection, including inner and outer valve seats with inclined sealing surfaces and circumferential extensions, reducing stress on seals and enhancing sealing properties.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Reliability

If conventional gaskets are hooked into the adapter and held by undercuts to make planar butt seals, then the connection structure is simple, but unevenness, contamination, or damage at sealing surfaces causes leaks and premature gasket failure

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvesealing reliabilityVSAvoidsealing structure complexity
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The patent replaces planar butt seals with curved sealing surfaces. The sealing surfaces are formed at an angle to the end-face of the absorber holder, creating a conical or angled geometry instead of flat surfaces. This curved geometry allows the sealing surfaces to conform to each other and to deform elastically under locking forces, accommodating surface imperfections and ensuring reliable sealing.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #14Spheroidality (Curvature)

2Reliability

If high forces are applied to lock the adapter and absorber holder to ensure gas-tight connection, then sealing reliability improves, but gasket wear increases and premature failure occurs

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvegas-tight connectionVSAvoidgasket lifespan
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSDuration of action of moving object

Solution Approach 1:

The patent changes the geometric parameters of the sealing surfaces by forming them at an angle to the end-face rather than as flat surfaces. This angular geometry allows the sealing surfaces to engage more effectively and distribute locking forces more evenly, achieving gas-tight sealing with lower locking forces and reducing gasket wear.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #35Parameter changes

3Reliability

If the sealing surfaces are formed at an angle to the end-face of the absorber holder, then sealing properties are enhanced and wear is reduced, but the manufacturing complexity increases

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvesealing propertiesVSAvoidsealing surface fabrication
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSEase of manufacture

Solution Approach 1:

The angled sealing surfaces can be manufactured using standard machining operations such as facing with an angled tool or forming during molding. The conical or angled geometry is achieved through conventional manufacturing methods, making the design practical for production while maintaining enhanced sealing properties.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #14Spheroidality (Curvature)

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 provides a reliable, easy-to-use gas-tight connection that minimizes leaks and wear, ensuring consistent performance without the need for high forces, thus extending the lifespan of the seals.

Implementation Method 1

The adapter has a first gas passage and a second gas passage which extend into the region of the connection between the absorber holder and the adapter, and has lip seals at the first gas passage and the second gas passage in the region of the connection between the absorber holder and the adapter

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectSealing:

Data Source

PatentEP3320942B2Disposable absorber having an adapter and a lip seal
Publication Date: 2025.10.08 DRAGERWERK AG
  • EP3320942B2 patent drawingFigure 1
  • EP3320942B2 patent drawingFigure 2
  • EP3320942B2 patent drawingFigure 3

AI summary

The invention relates to an adapter for adapting an absorber holder (4) to a breathing system. In accordance with the invention, there is provided between the absorber holder (4) and the adapter a seal (405) which comprises sealing surfaces (55, 56, 57) which extend into the circumferential region (34) of a valve seat (15) which forms a boundary of an outer gas passage. (Fig. 10)