Disposable Pressurized Gas Container with Irreversible Plug
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Solution Overview
Problem
Pressurized gas containers used in appliances for carbonated beverages are typically designed for multiple use, leading to high production costs and complex logistics due to stringent safety requirements, and many are not returned for re-filling, resulting in sunk costs.
Innovation Solution
A disposable pressurized gas container with a plug that irreversibly opens upon coupling with an appliance, allowing gas release and featuring a gas-impermeable barrier element that can withstand pressure, reducing wall thickness and costs while ensuring safety through a defined burst threshold.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If pressurized gas containers are designed for multiple use with thick walls and robust sealing, then safety and reliability are improved, but production costs and device complexity increase
Solution Approach 1:
The container system is segmented into two distinct parts: a reusable appliance with robust safety features and a disposable container with simplified construction. The disposable container body (102) uses thinner walls since it only needs to hold gas until use, while the reusable appliance (100) contains the complex valve mechanism (101) and safety features. This segmentation allows each component to be optimized for its specific function and lifecycle.
Solution Approach 2:
The invention employs disposable pressurized gas containers that are intended for single use only. These containers have simpler construction with thinner walls compared to reusable containers, reducing production costs. After use, the containers are discarded rather than returned for refilling, eliminating the need for complex return logistics and reducing sunk costs associated with unrecovered reusable containers.
2Weight of moving object
If pressurized gas containers use thinner walls to reduce cost and weight, then production costs and weight are reduced, but safety and pressure resistance deteriorate
Solution Approach 1:
The system segments safety functions from the disposable container body and places them in the reusable appliance. The container body (102) uses thinner, lighter walls optimized for single use, while the appliance (100) houses the valve mechanism (101) and safety features that protect against pressure failures. This allows the container to be lightweight without compromising overall system safety.
Solution Approach 2:
The valve mechanism (101) in the reusable appliance acts as a safety cushion before the container can fail. It controls gas release and prevents over-pressurization, providing a protective barrier that allows the disposable container to use thinner walls without risking catastrophic failure. The valve ensures that even if the container wall is thin, the system remains safe through proactive pressure management.
3Ease of manufacture
If pressurized gas containers are designed for single use with reduced safety standards, then production costs are reduced, but safety requirements are compromised
Solution Approach 1:
The invention segments safety-critical functions into the reusable appliance portion of the system. The disposable container (102) can be manufactured simply and cheaply with basic gas-holding capabilities, while the reusable appliance (100) contains the expensive, safety-critical valve mechanism (101). This allows single-use containers to meet reduced safety standards while the overall system maintains high safety through the robust appliance component.
Solution Approach 2:
The disposable container is designed to meet minimal safety standards sufficient for single use, dramatically reducing production costs compared to reusable containers that must withstand multiple fill and empty cycles. The container is discarded after one use rather than returned for refilling, eliminating the need for expensive durability features while maintaining adequate safety for its intended lifespan.
4Duration of action of stationary object
If pressurized gas containers are made robust for repeated filling and emptying cycles, then durability and reliability are improved, but manufacturing complexity and logistics increase
Solution Approach 1:
The invention replaces durable, reusable containers with disposable single-use containers. This eliminates the complex logistics of collecting, transporting, cleaning, and refilling reusable containers. The disposable container is used once and then discarded, simplifying the supply chain to a straightforward distribution model where containers are delivered to customers and collected as waste after use.
Solution Approach 2:
The system segments the durable, complex components (valve mechanism, control systems) into a reusable appliance that stays with the customer, while the disposable container provides simple gas storage. This segmentation allows the complex durable parts to be reused indefinitely with the appliance, while the simple containers are replaced periodically, optimizing both durability and logistics.
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 enables a cost-effective, lightweight disposable gas container that meets safety standards, reducing production costs and logistical complexities while ensuring safe gas release and minimizing accidental ruptures.
Implementation Method 1
The barrier element is configured to withstand pressure higher than that of the intended gas pressure inside said enclosure
Implementation Method 2
irreversible opening through rupture, piercing, deformation or displacement by a shaft of a gas channeling member
Implementation Method 3
The plug also has one or more sealing elements, which are distinct from said barrier element, and are configured for forming a gas-tight association with said shaft to thereby block gas leakage after coupling
Data Source
Figure 1
Figure 2
Figure 3A
AI summary
The present disclosure concerns a pressurized gas container, for example one containing carbon dioxide for use in a device or system for the preparation of a carbonated drink. The present disclosure also provides a plug that may be functionally integrated into the container and further provides a packaging with a plurality of such containers.