Drinking Bottle Closure with Spring-Loaded Clamping for Easy Cleaning
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional closures for drinking bottles are difficult to clean and require increased installation effort due to their design, which is not suitable for easy removal and cleaning.
Innovation Solution
A lid closure design featuring a fastening element with a pivoting element, bracing elements, and a spring mechanism that allows for easy removal and reassembly, along with a seal that can be easily detached and repositioned, ensuring the closure forms an easily removable unit that is easy to clean. The bracing elements are made of food-grade materials like polypropylene, and the seal can be made of food-grade silicone or TPE, with latching elements to prevent parts from getting lost during cleaning.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If conventional closure designs are used, then the closure can seal the drinking opening, but the closure becomes difficult to clean and requires considerable effort to remove and reassemble
Solution Approach 1:
The closure is divided into multiple separable components: a first clamping element, a second clamping element, and a pivoting element with a seal. This segmentation allows each component to be easily removed and cleaned separately, addressing the cleaning difficulty while maintaining the sealing function through the reusable pivoting element with integrated seal.
Solution Approach 2:
The closure employs a dynamic spring mechanism that enables the clamping elements to move relative to each other. When force is applied, the spring allows the clamping elements to separate easily for removal, and when force is released, the spring automatically returns them to the clamped position for secure reassembly, simplifying the cleaning process.
2Ease of operation
If the closure is designed with multiple components for easy removal, then cleaning becomes easier, but parts may be lost during cleaning
Solution Approach 1:
The closure is divided into separable components including clamping elements and a pivoting element, allowing easy removal for cleaning. The segmentation is designed so components can be easily separated when needed but remain manageable during the cleaning process.
Solution Approach 2:
The seal is integrated with the pivoting element as a single unit, and the locking elements are formed integrally with the clamping elements. This merging ensures that critical components cannot be lost during cleaning, as they are either permanently attached or designed to stay together as assemblies.
3Reliability
If the closure uses a secure fastening mechanism, then the lid remains secure, but the closure becomes difficult to remove for cleaning
Solution Approach 1:
The spring mechanism provides dynamic fastening that adapts to user needs. During normal use, the spring maintains strong clamping force to secure the lid. During cleaning, when external force is applied, the spring allows the clamping elements to separate easily, enabling simple removal without compromising the securing function during normal operation.
Solution Approach 2:
The spring mechanism automatically performs the fastening and release functions. When the closure is assembled, the spring automatically clamps the elements together to secure the lid. When force is applied during removal, the spring automatically releases the clamping, eliminating the need for additional tools or complex operations to remove the closure for cleaning.
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 closure can be easily removed and cleaned, preventing parts from being lost and ensuring the lid is secure and easy to assemble, while maintaining the functionality of opening and closing the drinking opening without hindering liquid flow.
Implementation Method 1
a spring (22) arranged between the two clamping elements (20, 21) in the direction of displacement
Implementation Method 2
a pre-tensioned pivoting element (23) which is pivotably arranged on the fastening element (20, 21) about a pivot axis (S)
Data Source
Figure 1
Figure 2
Figure 3
AI summary
The invention relates to a closure for a drinking bottle, comprising a securing element (20, 21) for releasably arranging the closure on a lid (1) of the drinking bottle, a pre-tensioned pivot element (23) which is arranged on the securing element (20, 21) so as to be pivotal away from said securing element about a pivot axis, and a seal (25) which is arranged on the pivot element (23) end that pivots out. The securing element (20, 21) comprises a first clamping element (20), a second clamping element (21), and a spring (22), wherein the two clamping elements (20, 21) are arranged so as to be linearly movable towards each other in one direction, and the spring (22) is arranged between the two clamping elements (20, 21) in the direction of movement.