Freshness Plug Malleable Flanges Vacuum Sealing
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing sealing methods for containers are inefficient and costly, particularly in the cannabis industry, as they either trap oxygen inside or require specialized equipment, and are often limited to straight-wall containers, failing to effectively preserve freshness and compatibility with various container shapes.
Innovation Solution
A plug design featuring a solid round body with an internally depressed section, a protrusion, a shoulder, and malleable flanges that can be used with various container shapes, allowing for efficient air removal and reinsertion, creating a vacuum environment that enhances freshness preservation.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If traditional sealing methods are used to remove atmospheric oxygen from containers, then oxygen removal effectiveness is improved, but device complexity and cost increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent employs a disposable plug that is inserted into the container to create a seal and remove oxygen. The plug is designed to be used once and then discarded, eliminating the need for complex, expensive, reusable sealing mechanisms. This disposable approach maintains oxygen removal effectiveness while significantly reducing device complexity and cost.
Solution Approach 2:
The invention extracts the sealing and oxygen removal function into a separate, standalone plug component that can be easily inserted and removed. This extraction allows the main container to remain simple while the sealing functionality is contained in a separate, inexpensive element that can be mass-produced and disposed of after use.
2Duration of action of stationary object
If sealing methods are used to preserve freshness, then shelf life extension is improved, but compatibility with various container shapes deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The plug incorporates flexible malleable flanges that can deform and adapt to different container opening shapes and sizes. These flexible elements allow the same plug design to effectively seal various container types (straight-wall, curved, wide-mouth, etc.) while maintaining the vacuum seal necessary for shelf life extension.
Solution Approach 2:
The sealing mechanism uses dynamic, malleable flanges that can change shape during insertion and sealing. The flanges are designed to be pliable during insertion to conform to different container geometries, then maintain sufficient rigidity when compressed to create an effective seal, thus adapting to various container shapes while preserving freshness.
3Reliability
If complex sealing equipment is used for air removal, then vacuum quality is improved, but ease of operation deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The plug is designed to perform the vacuum sealing function automatically upon insertion. The user simply inserts the plug into the container opening, and the malleable flanges automatically deform to seal the opening and remove oxygen through the integrated valve mechanism, eliminating the need for complex equipment or complex user operations. The system serves itself by using the insertion action alone to trigger the sealing and vacuum function.
4Reliability
If specialized sealing devices are used, then oxygen removal effectiveness is improved, but manufacturing cost increases
Solution Approach 1:
The plug is designed as a low-cost, disposable component that can be mass-produced using simple molding processes. By accepting that the plug will be used once and discarded, the design can use simpler materials and manufacturing methods (such as injection molding of plastic components with integrated malleable flanges) rather than requiring durable, expensive materials and complex assembly processes, thus maintaining oxygen removal effectiveness while dramatically reducing manufacturing cost.
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 plug provides a better seal, extends the shelf life of contents by removing oxygen, is automation-friendly, and compatible with different container types, including those with non-straight walls, effectively preserving the quality of internal contents.
Implementation Method 1
sealing is a common method for removing atmospheric oxygen from a container. When the user inserts the plug, oxygen flows out past the malleable flanges and once the plug is in place the malleable flanges depress against the container forming a tightly sealed environment.
Implementation Method 2
The porous attachment may be made from a porous material such as, but not limited to, polytetrafluoroethylene (PTFE), polyvinylidene fluoride (PVDF), polyethylene, polypropylene, polystyrene, or combinations thereof.
Data Source
AI summary
A freshness plug includes a solid round body having an internally depressed section, a protrusion extending from the internally depressed section, a shoulder extending from an exterior of the internally depressed section, and malleable flanges below the shoulder.