Flexible Internal Valve Tap for Low-Cost Liquid Sealing
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing liquid dispensing taps, particularly those using silicone valves, fail to provide a perfect seal against liquids and are prone to counterfeiting, are expensive, and do not meet regulatory requirements for recyclability and environmental sustainability, making them commercially unviable.
Innovation Solution
A plastic-made tap with a flexible internal valve system that uses distinct hardness components and innovative geometries to ensure a perfect seal, incorporates tamper-evident and anti-counterfeiting systems, and adapts to various market systems without requiring modifications, utilizing interlocking technologies to maintain a high oxygen barrier and reduce production costs.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If silicone valves with self-closing mechanism are used, then liquid sealing is improved, but cost increases significantly
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces expensive reusable silicone valves with a disposable plastic valve system. The entire tap assembly is designed as a single-use component that is discarded after use, eliminating the need for costly silicone valves while maintaining liquid sealing functionality during the product's operational life. This aligns with the SUP regulation philosophy of making single-use plastics more sustainable through standardized, recyclable designs.
Solution Approach 2:
The invention changes the material parameter from silicone to plastic (specifically polypropylene or similar recyclable plastics). By modifying the material composition and using injection molding techniques, the patent achieves comparable sealing performance through geometric design of the plastic valve components, thereby reducing cost while maintaining reliability.
2Ease of operation
If silicone valves are used, then valve functionality is achieved, but anti-counterfeiting capability deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The patent incorporates visual identification features including colored bands, printed logos, and color-coded components on the plastic tap assembly. These visual elements serve as anti-counterfeiting measures while maintaining the valve's operational functionality. The use of specific colors and patterns makes it difficult to replicate counterfeit products.
Solution Approach 2:
The invention uses composite construction with multiple plastic components (body, valve mechanism, seal elements) that can include embedded security features, holograms, or specific material compositions difficult to replicate. This composite approach maintains valve functionality while adding layers of anti-counterfeiting protection.
3Object-generated harmful factors
If plastic materials are used, then recyclability and environmental compliance are improved, but sealing performance against liquids may deteriorate
Solution Approach 1:
The patent employs flexible plastic membrane elements and thin film seal components made from recyclable plastics. These flexible elements deform to create effective seals against liquids, compensating for the lower inherent sealability of plastic compared to silicone. The flexibility allows the plastic components to conform to sealing surfaces and maintain liquid tightness.
Solution Approach 2:
The invention uses composite plastic structures combining rigid body parts with flexible sealing elements. The composite design integrates different plastic materials or structures (such as molded-in seals, overmolded flexible sections) to achieve both environmental compliance through recyclability and reliable liquid sealing performance.
4Ease of manufacture
If alternative valve geometries are used, then cost is reduced, but sealing reliability against liquids may worsen
Solution Approach 1:
The patent utilizes curved and rounded geometric features in the plastic valve design, such as spherical sealing surfaces, curved valve seats, and rounded edges. These curved geometries facilitate self-sealing through elastic deformation of the plastic material, achieving reliable liquid sealing with simpler, more cost-effective injection-molded components compared to complex mechanical valve geometries.
Solution Approach 2:
The invention employs dynamic sealing mechanisms where the plastic valve components deform under pressure differential to achieve sealing. The geometry is designed to allow elastic deformation of plastic elements that create sealing contact surfaces during operation, enabling reliable liquid tightness with simpler static geometric features that are easier and cheaper to manufacture.
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 tap achieves a perfect seal against liquids, prevents counterfeiting, meets regulatory standards, and reduces production costs by using alternative flexible materials, ensuring competitive pricing and environmental sustainability.
Implementation Method 1
a flexible valve (5), preferably in silicone, equipped with a central opening with notch and with at least one transverse slit (5.9) and flaps (5.9)
Implementation Method 2
The valve (5) has an external fastening ring which has an upper surface (5.5) and a lower surface (5.6), which are respectively to be coupled with the surface (3.12) of the main body (3) and the surface (4.12) of the lower body (4)
Data Source
Figure 1
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AI summary
A tap (1) for dispensing liquids from a container, comprising a main body (3) adapted to be placed at the dispensing end of the container and comprising an integrated tamper-evident guarantee ring (3.1) which can be removed in a first opening step of the tap (1), a valve (5) inserted between a lower fixing body (4) and the main body (3), including slits (5.2) for the penetration of a dispensing dart (6), the lower fixing body (4) designed to block the valve (5) and allow the correct opening and closing and sealing of the slots (5.2) of the valve (5), and an upper cap (2) mounted on the main body (3) and anchored to the security ring (3.1) integrated in the main body (3).