Elastomeric Grease Gun Cover for Leakage Containment
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Solution Overview
Problem
Grease guns experience leakage from the non-dispensing end when stored or not in use, leading to a need for a solution to contain and prevent lubricant loss.
Innovation Solution
A cover is designed to fit around the coupler connector of the grease gun, constructed from durable and resilient materials like elastomeric polymers, creating a conical shape with an inner lip for secure attachment and a vented configuration to facilitate grease flow, effectively sealing the non-dispensing end and collecting any leaking lubricant.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If the grease gun is stored or not in use, then the lubricant may leak from the non-dispensing end, but adding a cover to prevent leakage increases device complexity
Solution Approach 1:
The cover is designed to fit over the coupler connector in a nested manner, with the conical shape allowing it to slide over the existing grease gun components without requiring additional mounting structures or modifying the grease gun itself. The cover nests around the coupler connector and lubricant reservoir, providing containment while maintaining simplicity of the overall system.
Solution Approach 2:
The cover is constructed from elastomeric material that forms a flexible shell, allowing it to conform to the shape of the coupler connector and create a seal without rigid fasteners or complex mechanical connections. The elastomeric nature of the material enables the cover to flex and seal around the lubricant reservoir while preventing leakage.
2Reliability
If the cover is made from elastomeric material to ensure sealing, then leakage prevention is improved, but the material selection and manufacturing process become more complex
Solution Approach 1:
The cover utilizes the elastomeric material's ability to change physical parameters such as elasticity and conformability to achieve sealing. The material's inherent properties allow it to deform and seal around the coupler connector, and this parameter change is leveraged to create the sealing function without complex manufacturing processes or material selection criteria.
3Ease of operation
If the cover is designed to be vented to facilitate grease flow, then ease of operation is improved, but the sealing effectiveness may be compromised
Solution Approach 1:
The cover incorporates a vented configuration with localized openings that provide specific functions at different locations. The venting features are positioned and sized to allow grease flow and priming operation while the surrounding elastomeric material maintains the seal. This local differentiation of quality - vented areas for flow versus sealed areas for containment - resolves the contradiction between operability and sealing effectiveness.
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 cover provides a reliable airtight seal, preventing leakage and allowing easy priming of the grease gun, ensuring the lubricant remains contained and ready for use, while being easy to clean and adaptable to various grease gun sizes and types.
Implementation Method 1
The cover 10 may have an elastomeric first portion, proximate the open end of the cover 10, constructed of material having elastomeric properties which allows the elastomeric first portion to expand when the first end of the grease gun is disposed within the cover 10 when the elastomeric first portion of the cover 10 is stretched about the first end of the grease gun
Data Source
AI summary
Apparatus and methods for containing leakage of a grease gun. In certain embodiments, a cover includes a body which has an open end, a closed end, and a sidewall extending between the open end and the closed end. The sidewall has an outer peripheral surface and an inner peripheral surface which encompasses an inner space for receiving a leaking lubricant.