Variable-Volume Food Container With Piston Venting for Oxidation Control

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Solution Overview

Problem

Conventional food storage containers often lead to rapid degradation and spoilage of easily oxidized foods due to trapped air, which is not effectively addressed by expensive vacuum or nitrogen packaging systems suitable for commercial use but not for home kitchens.

Innovation Solution

A food storage container with a cylindrical receptacle and a moveable piston that allows for variable volume adjustment, equipped with a peripheral wiper seal and a venting mechanism to minimize air exposure, ensuring an air and liquid-tight seal and extending the freshness of stored food products.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Reliability

If conventional food storage containers with lids are used to enclose food products, then spills and spoilage are prevented, but air trapped in the container causes rapid oxidation and degradation of easily oxidized foods

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvefood freshness preservationVSAvoidoxidation from trapped air

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSObject-affected harmful factors

Solution Approach 1:

The container employs a movable piston that can be dynamically adjusted to change the internal volume of the container. This dynamic adjustment allows the container to adapt to different food quantities and minimize air space, thereby reducing oxidation while maintaining storage functionality.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #15Dynamics

Solution Approach 2:

The container creates an air-tight environment by sealing the movable piston against the container walls using a wiper seal. This effectively isolates the food from oxygen-containing air, creating an inert atmosphere that prevents oxidation without requiring expensive vacuum or nitrogen packaging systems.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #39Inert atmosphere (Inert environment)

2Reliability

If vacuum packaging or nitrogen packaging is used to preserve food freshness, then oxidation and spoilage are significantly reduced, but the cost increases and applicability to home kitchen environment decreases

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvefood freshness preservationVSAvoidcost effectiveness and home use applicability

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSEase of manufacture

Solution Approach 1:

The container uses simple, inexpensive components such as a basic movable piston, a wiper seal, and a vent mechanism that can be manufactured at low cost. These components work together to provide effective air removal and sealing without requiring expensive vacuum or nitrogen packaging equipment, making the solution suitable for home kitchen use.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #27Cheap short-living objects (Disposable)

Solution Approach 2:

The container enables users to easily remove air and seal food portions themselves through the simple vent and piston mechanism. This self-service capability eliminates the need for complex commercial vacuum or nitrogen packaging systems, making fresh preservation accessible in home kitchens.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #25Self-service

3Reliability

If a fixed volume container is used for food storage, then manufacturing is simple, but air space cannot be minimized leading to faster food degradation

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvefood freshness preservationVSAvoidcontainer structure

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The container incorporates a movable piston that allows the internal volume to be dynamically adjusted. This dynamic feature enables users to minimize air space by pushing the piston down to match the actual food quantity, thereby reducing oxidation while adding only moderate structural complexity compared to fixed-volume containers.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #15Dynamics

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 container effectively reduces oxidation and spoilage of food products by allowing for volume adjustment and air removal, maintaining freshness and preventing discoloration and breakdown, making it cost-effective and suitable for home use.

Implementation Method 1

a peripheral wiper seal that creates a generally air and liquid tight seal between the exterior diameter of the piston and the interior diameter of the generally cylindrical receptacle

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectSealing:

Implementation Method 2

a vent located on the lid

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectOxidation prevention: Oxidation

Data Source

PatentUS10233008B2Freshness preserving food container

Publication Date: 2019.03.19 GUAC LOCK

AI summary

A container for preserving the freshness of a stored food product is disclosed. The container has a receptacle with a piston and seal arrangement that creates a variable volume for food storage. A vent and seal arrangement allows for the removal of air as the piston is moved within the receptacle to reduce the volume within. A removable engaging member pushes the piston upward in order to reduce the inner volume of the container as the food stored in the container is consumed. This reduction in space and associated removal of air inhibit the oxidation and spoilage of many popular foods such as guacamole. With the engaging member removed, the container is also useful for serving the stored food product.