Elastic Dissolution Vessel Cover with Deformable Slit
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional vessel covers for dissolution testing allow excessive evaporation loss and contamination, require assembly, and are not adaptable to various vessel diameters, leading to inefficiencies and compatibility issues.
Innovation Solution
A vessel cover made of elastic material with a central opening and slit that temporarily deforms to accommodate the stirring shaft, providing a unitary, flexible design that fits multiple vessel diameters and minimizes evaporation and contamination risks.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If conventional vessel covers with slots and openings are used to allow stirring shaft insertion and sample access, then ease of operation is improved, but evaporative loss and contamination increase
Solution Approach 1:
The vessel cover is made of flexible material that can be temporarily deformed to accommodate the stirring shaft during insertion, then returns to its original sealed configuration to prevent evaporation and contamination. This flexible membrane approach allows temporary access while maintaining continuous protection.
Solution Approach 2:
The cover transitions from a static sealed state to a dynamic temporarily deformed state during stirring shaft insertion, then returns to sealed state. This dynamic behavior allows the cover to adapt to operational needs while maintaining its protective function throughout the process.
2Manufacturing precision
If conventional rigid vessel covers are used, then manufacturing precision and seal integrity are improved, but adaptability to various vessel diameters deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The cover's physical parameters (shape, size) can be temporarily changed through deformation to accommodate different vessel diameters and stirring shaft configurations, while the material properties maintain consistent seal integrity. The flexible material allows parameter adaptation without compromising manufacturing precision.
Solution Approach 2:
The flexible vessel cover is designed to universally fit multiple vessel diameters and configurations through temporary deformation, eliminating the need for multiple specialized covers while maintaining seal integrity across different applications.
3Ease of operation
If conventional multi-piece vessel covers are used to accommodate stirring shafts, then ease of operation is improved, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The vessel cover is designed as a single integrated flexible piece that combines the sealing function and the stirring shaft accommodation function. The flexible material inherently provides both the seal and the deformation capability, eliminating the need for separate components and assembly steps.
Solution Approach 2:
The flexible cover automatically deforms and returns to shape without requiring external mechanisms, hinges, or complex assembly. The material's inherent elasticity provides the self-service deformation capability, simplifying both the device structure and user 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
The elastic vessel cover effectively reduces evaporation and contamination, is easy to use without assembly, and fits various vessel diameters, enhancing the reliability and versatility of dissolution testing.
Implementation Method 1
The vessel cover is made of an elastic material. The vessel cover is adapted to be temporarily deformed and then return to substantially the original shape, wherein the temporary deformation widens the slit
Data Source
AI summary
A contiguous, elastic cover, for a dissolution - testing vessel, has a slit from a central opening to its outer edge. The cover may be placed around a stirring shaft by deforming the elastic cover to temporarily enlarge the slit. After returning to its original shape, the cover is placed over the vessel with the shaft free to rotate unimpeded within the central opening. The cover has a first raised annular disk on one side and a second raised annular disk on the other side, where the disks have different outer diameters to enable the cover to be used with differently sized vessels. The cover has a first opening having a first diameter and a second opening having a different, second diameter such that a conventional probe fits either at one depth within the first opening or at a different, second depth within the second opening.