Leak-Resistant Drinking Lid With Pressure Relief Valve Assembly
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing drinking lids for beverage containers often face issues with insufficient flow rate due to small valve openings, leading to pressure differential problems that make it difficult to open the valve, and existing solutions like pressure relief valves may not adequately address these issues.
Innovation Solution
A leak-resistant drinking lid design featuring a manually actuated valve stem with a drinking valve head and a pressure relief valve head, connected via a resilient sleeve and bayonet-type connector, allowing for pressure equalization and easy actuation between open and closed positions, with a push button actuator and spring mechanism for efficient beverage flow.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Productivity
If a disk-shaped valve head with opening area slightly smaller than the inside diameter of the container is provided, then the flow rate of beverage is improved, but pressure differential forms across the valve head making it difficult to open
Solution Approach 1:
The valve system is segmented into multiple functional components: a drinking valve head for beverage flow control and a separate pressure relief valve head for pressure equalization. This segmentation allows the drinking valve to maintain a large opening area for high flow rate while the pressure relief valve handles the pressure differential issue independently, resolving the contradiction between flow rate and ease of opening.
Solution Approach 2:
The pressure relief valve acts as an intermediary mechanism that equalizes pressure across the drinking valve head before the user attempts to open it. By providing a separate pressure equalization path, the system mediates the pressure differential problem, allowing the main drinking valve to open easily without compromising its large opening area designed for high flow rate.
2Reliability
If a small opening area is provided in the valve, then leak resistance is improved, but flow rate becomes insufficient
Solution Approach 1:
The valve system transitions from a static small opening to a dynamic large opening when activated. The drinking valve head provides a large opening area that is dynamically accessible when needed, while the closed position maintains leak resistance. This dynamic capability resolves the contradiction between leak resistance and flow rate by allowing the valve to adapt its opening area based on operational requirements.
Solution Approach 2:
The valve system is divided into a drinking valve head for high-flow operations and a pressure relief valve head for pressure management. This segmentation allows the drinking valve to be designed with a large opening area optimized for high flow rate while maintaining leak resistance when closed, as the pressure relief valve handles pressure equalization separately.
3Ease of operation
If a pressure relief valve is added to equalize pressure, then ease to open valve is improved, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The pressure relief valve head and drinking valve head are merged into a single integrated valve assembly that shares a common stem and actuation mechanism. This merging approach provides pressure equalization functionality to improve ease of opening while minimizing the increase in complexity by consolidating components rather than adding completely separate systems.
Solution Approach 2:
The valve stem and actuation mechanism serve multiple functions: they control both the drinking valve head for beverage flow and the pressure relief valve head for pressure equalization. This multi-functionality reduces overall device complexity by using a single actuation system to manage both valve functions, rather than requiring separate actuation mechanisms for each valve.
4Ease of repair
If valve components are made disassemblable for cleaning, then ease of maintenance is improved, but sealing reliability may worsen
Solution Approach 1:
The valve assembly is segmented into separable components including the drinking valve head, pressure relief valve head, and stem, which can be disassembled for cleaning. This segmentation enables easy maintenance while maintaining sealing reliability through precision-machined mating surfaces and dedicated sealing elements that ensure proper sealing when reassembled.
Solution Approach 2:
The valve components are designed with features that facilitate user-friendly disassembly and reassembly for cleaning purposes. The bayonet-type connector and separable design allow users to easily separate and clean components without specialized tools, while the design inherently maintains sealing integrity through self-aligning features and robust sealing mechanisms.
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 design ensures efficient beverage flow while maintaining leak resistance, allowing for easy cleaning and maintenance by enabling the disassembly of critical components, and provides a secure and reliable sealing mechanism to prevent leakage.
Implementation Method 1
a resilient member sandwiched between the stem and the drinking valve head to transmit an actuating force from the stem to the drinking valve head
Implementation Method 2
a push button actuator and spring mechanism for efficient beverage flow
Data Source
Figure 1~3
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Figure 5
AI summary
A leak proof/resistant drinking lid (10) is provided for use with beverage container. The lid (10) includes a housing (14) to mount the lid (10) to the beverage container, a manually actuated valve stem (16) mounted to the housing (14) to translate relative to the housing (14), a drinking port (18) extending through the housing (14), a drinking valve head (20) carried on the stem (16) for movement relative to the housing (14) between a closed position closing the drinking port (18) and an open position wherein the beverage can flow through the drinking port (18), a pressure relief port (22) extending through the drinking valve head (20) to allow equalization of pressure across the head 20 with the head 20 in the closed position, and a pressure relief valve head (24) mounted to the stem 16 for movement relative to the drinking valve head (20) between a closed position closing the pressure relief port (22) and an open position wherein air can pass through the pressure relief port (22). The pressure relief valve head (24) is releasably mounted to the stem (16) by a connector (26). A resilient member (28) is sandwiched between the stem (16) and the drinking valve head (20) to transmit an actuating force from the stem (16) to the drinking valve head (20) and to allow the stem (16) and the pressure relief valve head (24) to translate relative to the drinking valve head (20).