Double Slider Valve Fitment for Complete Bag Drainage
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing dispensing systems for collapsible bags do not drain the fluid substantially fully, leading to product waste and disposal issues.
Innovation Solution
A double slider valve fitment with a cylindrical external valve body and internal valve body, where the internal valve is biased towards a closed position and can be moved between open and closed positions by a dispensing connector, allowing fluid flow through circumferentially spaced apertures when the valve is open, and the external valve body protrudes into the container to ensure complete drainage.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Loss of substance
If a single slider valve is used in existing dispensing systems, then the valve structure is simple and easy to manufacture, but the fluid cannot be drained substantially fully from the collapsible bag
Solution Approach 1:
The valve is divided into two separate slider components: an external slider and an internal slider. The external slider has apertures positioned near the container surface to drain fluid from the top portion of the bag, while the internal slider is positioned deeper to drain fluid from the bottom portion. This segmentation allows complete drainage of the entire bag volume, eliminating fluid waste without requiring overly complex mechanisms.
2Loss of substance
If the valve structure is extended deeper into the container to improve drainage, then complete emptying is achieved, but the valve body becomes more complex and difficult to manufacture
Solution Approach 1:
Rather than extending a single valve body deeper into the container, the invention segments the drainage function into two separate sliders at different depths. The external slider remains relatively shallow with apertures near the surface, while the internal slider is positioned deeper but has a simpler structure. This segmentation maintains manufacturing ease while achieving complete drainage.
Solution Approach 2:
The internal slider is nested within the external slider, with the internal slider positioned inside the bore of the external slider. This nested arrangement allows both sliders to coexist in a compact configuration, achieving deep drainage capability without proportionally increasing the overall valve body complexity or manufacturing difficulty.
Data Source
AI summary
This invention relates to a fitment assembly used for dispensing liquids from flexible bags. The connector engages a valved fitment for a container for holding and dispensing fluid. The fitment includes a spout connected to the container and a sliding internal valve body and an external valve body securely positioned within the spout. The connector has a fitment end mateable with the fitment so as to compress the top edge of the external valve body so as to form a seal between the external valve body and the dispensing connector. The external valve body through circumferentially placed apertures allows for substantially complete drainage of the flexible bag.