Elastic Plastic Guide Body Sealing Lips Injection Device

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Solution Overview

Problem

Existing needle registers for injection devices used in food products, such as curing devices, face challenges in easy cleaning and maintenance due to complex sealing arrangements and the need for thorough cleaning to prevent contamination.

Innovation Solution

Guide bodies made of elastic plastic materials with integrally formed sealing lips on both inner and outer circumferences, eliminating the need for circumferential grooves and allowing for easier assembly and cleaning, while providing a high sealing effect and stable support for needles.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Reliability

If conventional metal guide bodies with circumferential grooves and sealing rings are used, then a sealing effect is achieved, but the sealing arrangement becomes complex and difficult to clean

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvesealing effectVSAvoidsealing arrangement complexity
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The patent combines the guide body and sealing function into a single integrated component. The elastic plastic guide body incorporates sealing lips directly on its inner and outer circumferences, eliminating the need for separate sealing rings and grooves. This merging of functions simplifies the sealing arrangement while maintaining effective sealing between the needle and the distribution chamber walls.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #5Merging (Combining)

Solution Approach 2:

The patent employs an elastic plastic guide body that functions as a flexible sealing element. The material's elasticity allows the guide body to deform and conform to the needle and distribution chamber interfaces, creating effective seals without requiring rigid grooves or separate sealing components. This flexible approach simplifies the overall structure while ensuring reliable sealing.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #30Flexible shells and thin films

2Reliability

If circumferential grooves are used in guide bodies for sealing, then sealing is achieved, but cleaning becomes difficult due to shear edges formed by groove edges

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvesealing effectVSAvoidcleaning ease
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSEase of operation

Solution Approach 1:

The elastic plastic guide body acts as a flexible sealing element that eliminates the need for circumferential grooves. The sealing lips are formed directly on the smooth outer surface of the guide body, creating no shear edges or crevices where liquid could accumulate. This smooth, grooveless design allows for thorough cleaning and prevents contamination in food processing applications.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #30Flexible shells and thin films

Solution Approach 2:

The patent converts the potential harm of complex groove structures into benefit by using the elasticity of the plastic material to achieve sealing without grooves. The elastic deformation of the guide body provides the necessary sealing force while maintaining a smooth surface that is easy to clean, thus converting the complexity issue into a simplification advantage.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #22Blessing in disguise (Convert harm into benefit)

3Reliability

If metal guide bodies with grooves are used, then sealing is achieved, but durability is reduced due to shear edges causing wear

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvesealing effectVSAvoidguide body durability
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSDuration of action of stationary object

Solution Approach 1:

The elastic plastic guide body provides enhanced durability by eliminating rigid grooves and shear edges. The flexible material deforms elastically to maintain sealing contact without creating stress concentration points that would lead to wear or fatigue failure. This results in a longer service life for the guide body while maintaining effective sealing throughout its operational duration.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #30Flexible shells and thin films

Solution Approach 2:

The patent changes the material parameter from rigid metal to elastic plastic, fundamentally altering the sealing mechanism. Instead of relying on rigid groove geometry, the sealing is achieved through elastic deformation of the plastic material. This parameter change eliminates the wear issues associated with shear edges while maintaining reliable sealing over an extended period.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #35Parameter changes

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 enhances durability and facilitates thorough cleaning, ensuring a high sealing effect and stable support for needles, while simplifying the sealing arrangement and reducing the risk of contamination, particularly in food-processing applications.

Implementation Method 1

the guide bodies are made of an elastic plastic material and each have an integrally formed sealing lip on the inner and outer circumference

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectElasticity: Elasticity

Implementation Method 2

The sealing lip on the outer circumference of the guide body can be conical in such a way that, when the guide body is subjected to axial load, it rests against a shoulder of the bore accommodating the guide body, thereby expanding radially

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectPoisson's effect: Poisson's Effect

Data Source

PatentEP4356741A1Needle register and guide body for a needle register sealing assembly
Publication Date: 2024.04.24 SCHROEDER MASCHINENBAU GMBH
  • EP4356741A1 patent drawingFigure 1
  • EP4356741A1 patent drawingFigure 2
  • EP4356741A1 patent drawingFigure 3

AI summary

Needle register for injection devices for injecting liquid into food products, comprising a distribution chamber (16) for distributing the liquid onto several parallel, hollow needles (10), each extending through a bore (28) formed in a wall (18, 20) of the distribution chamber (16), and a sealing arrangement comprising guide bodies (22) which are each inserted into one of the bores (28) and surround the needle (10) and which are sealed on one side at the circumference of the needle and on the other side at the inner surface of the bore (28), characterized in that the guide bodies (22) are made of an elastic plastic material and each have a sealing lip (32, 42) integrally molded on the inner and outer circumference.