Flushable Joint Sealing Structure for Hygienic Robot Wash-Down
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current sealing solutions for robots in the food processing industry, particularly those intended for rigorous wash-down procedures, fail to meet the stringent hygiene and IP69K rating requirements, leading to potential contamination and bacterial growth in joint gaps.
Innovation Solution
A sealing device comprising an outer and inner sealing part with a spacing structure that creates a fluid-tight intermediate space, which can be flushed with a sterile fluid to prevent contamination, and is designed for easy assembly and integration into robots with multiple axes, ensuring effective sealing and hygiene compliance.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Object-affected harmful factors
If a sealing device is designed to prevent ingress of washing liquid and egress of grease/oil in joints, then hygiene protection is improved, but device complexity increases due to multiple sealing parts and intermediate space
Solution Approach 1:
The sealing device is divided into an outer sealing part and an inner sealing part separated by a spacing structure, creating distinct functional zones. The outer sealing part prevents washing liquid ingress while the inner sealing part prevents grease egress, with each part addressing specific contamination sources independently
Solution Approach 2:
An intermediate space is created between the outer and inner sealing parts, acting as a buffer zone that collects any leakage. This intermediate space serves as a mediator that captures contaminants before they can reach critical components, and allows for flushing to remove accumulated substances
2Ease of manufacture
If an intermediate space is created between sealing parts for flushing, then cleanability is improved, but volume of the joint increases
Solution Approach 1:
The spacing structure is designed to create an intermediate space that is预先 prepared for flushing operations. This preliminary design feature allows cleaning fluids to access and flush the sealing areas before contamination becomes problematic, ensuring maintainability without requiring major structural changes later
Solution Approach 2:
The spacing structure provides localized separation between sealing parts only where necessary for creating the flushable intermediate space. The spacing is concentrated at critical sealing locations rather than uniformly distributed, minimizing overall volume increase while maximizing cleanability where it matters most
3Reliability
If outer and inner sealing parts are used to seal off intermediate space, then sealing reliability is improved, but manufacturing complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The outer sealing part and inner sealing part are designed to work together as an integrated sealing system, where their combined action provides enhanced fluid-tight sealing. The spacing structure maintains optimal positioning between the two parts, allowing them to function as a unified assembly that addresses multiple sealing requirements simultaneously
Data Source
AI summary
A sealing device (10) for providing a fluid-tight sealing of a joint comprising a first part (30) and a second part (32) with a relative movement in between. The sealing device (10) comprises: an outer sealing part (12) designed to contact the first part and the second part, an inner sealing part (14) designed to contact the first part and the second part, and a spacing structure (16) connecting the outer sealing part (12) and the inner sealing part (14). The outer sealing part (12) and the inner sealing part (14) define an intermediate space (18) between the outer sealing part (12) and the inner sealing part (14). The outer sealing part (12) and the inner sealing part (14) are being configured to seal off the intermediate space (18) from both an exterior and an interior of the joint, and the intermediate space (18) is configured to be influid contact with both the first part (30) and the second part (32).