Flexible Seal Lid Assembly for Container Leak Prevention
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing lid assemblies for containers fail to provide a secure seal due to material tolerances, leading to leaks and inefficiencies in containing contents during heating or storage.
Innovation Solution
A lid assembly with a radially outwardly extending flexible seal and pivotally connected flaps that compress against the container's inner surface, ensuring a secure seal despite material tolerances, and an integrated vent for air and steam release.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If a rigid seal is used to ensure sealing, then sealing reliability is improved, but adaptability to material tolerances deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The seal incorporates a flexible lip made of elastomeric material that can deform to conform to the container opening surface, allowing the seal to adapt to material tolerances while maintaining reliable sealing through the flexibility of the thin film structure
Solution Approach 2:
The seal design utilizes the elastic properties of the elastomeric material to change its physical parameters (shape, thickness) under compression, enabling it to accommodate variations in container opening dimensions while maintaining effective sealing contact
2Reliability
If a secure seal is achieved through compression, then sealing reliability is improved, but attachment complexity deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The sealing function and attachment function are merged into a single integrated structure where the flexible seal lip simultaneously provides sealing compression and mechanical attachment to the container opening, eliminating the need for separate attachment mechanisms
Solution Approach 2:
The elastic deformation of the flexible seal lip under compression creates self-gripping force that automatically secures the lid assembly to the container without requiring additional fastening operations, allowing the seal to service its own attachment function
3Reliability
If flaps are added to secure the lid assembly, then attachment reliability is improved, but device complexity deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The lid assembly is segmented into a main body and separate hinged flaps that can be independently positioned, allowing the flaps to provide additional attachment reliability through engagement with container features while maintaining simplicity through modular design
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 provides a reliable airtight seal and allows for easy attachment and detachment, maintaining container integrity during heating or storage by compressing the flexible seal against the container's inner surface, while the vent ensures pressure release.
Implementation Method 1
a radially outwardly extending flexible lip of the seal compresses against an inner surface of the container to seal the lid assembly to the container
Implementation Method 2
the seal having a radially outwardly extending flexible lip for sealing against an inner surface of the container
Data Source
AI summary
Provided is a lid assembly for a container. The lid assembly includes a lid formed of a first material and a seal formed of a second material and being integrally formed with the lid. The lid can be attached to the container such that a radially outwardly extending flexible lip of the seal compresses against an inner surface of the container to seal the lid assembly to the container.