Elastic Dispensing Valve for Fast, Leak-Safe Liquid Outfeed
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Existing devices for dispensing liquid contents from flexible containers, such as food items, face challenges in efficiently dispensing large quantities, quick valve operation, and easy cleaning.
Innovation Solution
A device with an elastic valve body that changes shape under pressure to open and close quickly, combined with a pressure application mechanism using a lever system and pressure plate to facilitate rapid and complete dispensing without spillage, and a design that allows for easy cleaning and connection to a valve system.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Productivity
If a traditional valve mechanism is used, then the valve can be closed, but it cannot open and close quickly for rapid dispensing of large quantities
Solution Approach 1:
The valve body is designed with elastic properties allowing it to dynamically change shape between a normal closed state and a stretched open state. This dynamic transformation enables the valve to quickly transition between open and closed positions, facilitating rapid dispensing of large quantities while minimizing valve operation time.
Solution Approach 2:
The valve body's physical state is changed from rigid to elastic, allowing it to deform under pressure. When pressure from contents increases, the valve body stretches to open the valve; when pressure ceases, it reverts to close the valve. This parameter change enables quick valve operation for high-speed dispensing.
2Productivity
If pressure is applied to open the valve for rapid dispensing, then large quantities can be dispensed quickly, but spillage may occur if the valve does not close rapidly
Solution Approach 1:
The elastic valve body serves itself by automatically opening when pressure from contents increases and automatically closing when pressure ceases. This self-service mechanism ensures the valve responds immediately to pressure changes, preventing spillage while enabling rapid dispensing of large quantities.
Solution Approach 2:
The valve body receives feedback from pressure changes in the system. When pressure increases during dispensing, the valve opens; when pressure decreases, the valve closes. This feedback mechanism ensures reliable leakage prevention while maintaining high dispensing speed.
3Ease of operation
If a complex valve mechanism is used to control flow, then precise control is achieved, but cleaning becomes difficult
Solution Approach 1:
The valve body is designed as a separate, extractable component that can be easily removed from the valve seat for cleaning. This segmentation allows the valve body to be detached and cleaned separately, making maintenance simple while retaining precise flow control functionality during operation.
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
Enables quick and efficient dispensing of large quantities with minimal spillage and easy cleaning, ensuring the valve closes rapidly to prevent leakage.
Implementation Method 1
the valve body having elastic properties and a normal shape in which it abuts against the valve seat so that it closes the valve means, by the shape of the valve means being variable so that when it is subjected, for outfeed, to pressure from the contents of the storage container it is caused to change to a stretched shape
Implementation Method 2
the valve body being adapted to reverting from stretched to normal shape when the pressure on it from the contents of the storage container ceases, and hence to abutting against the valve seat and quickly closing the valve means
Implementation Method 3
a pressure application means which, via the pressure means, exerts upon the storage container in the outfeed container a pressure at the bottom of the storage container for outfeed of its contents
Data Source
AI summary
A device for feeding out liquid or substantially liquid contents from a storage container (2) comprises an outfeed container (3) for the storage container and a discharge means (6) for outfeed of the contents from the storage container by squeezing it. The storage container (2) has an inner connecting element (7) for connection to an outer connecting element (8) by the latter's penetration of the container wall at the inner connecting element. The storage container (2) is connected via the outer connecting element (8) to a valve means (9) with a valve body (10) which in a resting position abuts against a valve seat and which, for outfeed, is open able by the contents of the storage container being pressed against the valve body so that the latter leaves the valve seat. The valve body (10) has elastic properties and a normal shape when it abuts against the valve seat so that it closes the valve means (9). For outfeed, the valve body (10) assumes a stretched shape and leaves the valve seat. The valve body (10) quickly reverts from stretched to normal shape when the pressure upon it from the contents of the storage container (2) ceases. The discharge means (6) of said device comprises a pressure means (11) and a pressure application means (12) which, via the pressure means, exerts upon the storage container (2) in the outfeed container (3) a pressure for outfeed of the contents from the storage container.