H-Shaped Sealing Element for Sterile Vacuum Packaging
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing containers for sterile packaging under reduced pressure are complex and difficult to open quickly, as they require ventilation valves or mechanical locks, which can complicate the process of breaking the vacuum seal.
Innovation Solution
A container design featuring a ring-shaped H-shaped sealing element with a predetermined tear point on the outside flange, allowing for easy opening by destroying the seal without prior actuation of a ventilation valve, ensuring quick pressure equalization and separation of the container parts.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If a ventilation valve or mechanical lock is used to maintain the vacuum seal, then the sealing reliability is improved, but the device complexity and difficulty of opening increase
Solution Approach 1:
The invention extracts the ventilation valve and mechanical lock from the container system, replacing them with a simple H-shaped sealing element that maintains the vacuum seal through its geometry alone. The H-shape allows the sealing element to be held firmly by external air pressure without requiring any additional closing or locking mechanisms, thus eliminating device complexity while maintaining sealing reliability.
Solution Approach 2:
The H-shaped sealing element creates different sealing conditions at different locations: the vertical legs of the H provide strong sealing at the sidewalls where external pressure acts most effectively, while the horizontal crossbar provides sealing at the top/bottom interfaces. This local differentiation of sealing functionality allows the simple H-shape to replace complex mechanical locking systems.
2Reliability
If a ventilation valve is used to break the vacuum, then the sealing reliability is improved, but the ease of operation and opening speed deteriorate
Solution Approach 1:
The H-shaped sealing element is pre-configured with a built-in weakness or stress concentration point that allows it to be easily torn apart by hand. This preliminary design feature enables the sealing element to be broken and the vacuum released quickly without requiring any ventilation valve or complex opening mechanism, dramatically improving ease of operation while maintaining sealing integrity when closed.
3Reliability
If a complex closure mechanism is used, then the sealing reliability is improved, but the productivity and opening speed deteriorate
Solution Approach 1:
The sealing function is segmented into two distinct phases: the H-shaped sealing element provides automatic sealing when the container is closed, and the same element can be quickly torn apart to release the vacuum. This segmentation of the sealing element's functionality allows rapid opening (improving productivity) while maintaining reliable sealing during storage, eliminating the need for separate sealing and opening mechanisms.
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 can be opened easily and quickly, even with one hand, maintaining sterility and simplicity in operation, particularly beneficial for medical products like surgical instruments in sterile environments.
Implementation Method 1
The container is filled under vacuum, which means that the base and the lid are subsequently held together by the external air pressure
Implementation Method 2
the flange of the sealing element arranged on an outside of the container in the assembled state of the container being equipped with at least one predetermined tear point for destroying the tight closure of the container
Data Source
Figure 1
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AI summary
The invention relates to a container for sterilely packaging objects under reduced pressure, said container comprising a lower part (1) and an upper part (2). The lower part (1) is constructed from a bottom (3) and at least one lower-part side wall (4), the at least one lower-part side wall (4) extending upward from the bottom (3) and the bottom (3), together with the at least one lower-part side wall (4), defining a lower-part interior space having an open upper end. The upper part (2) is constructed from a cover (5) and at least one upper-part side wall (6), the at least one upper-part side wall (6) extending downward from the cover (5) and the cover (5), together with the at least one upper-part side wall (6), defining an upper-part interior space having an open lower end. The container has an annular sealing element (7) having a main sealing-element plane DH, the sealing element (7) being H-shaped in cross-section perpendicular to the main sealing-element plane, with two flanges (8.1), (8.2) and a web (9). The upper part (2) can be slid between the flanges (8.1, 8.2) of the sealing element (7) by means of the entire edge region (6.1) of the upper-part side wall (6) adjacent to the open lower end of the upper part, and the lower part (3) can be slid between the flanges (8.1, 8.2) of the sealing element (7) by means of the entire edge region (4.1) of the lower-part side wall (4) adjacent to the open upper end of the lower part. The sealing element (7) is designed to tightly close the container, the flange (8.1) of the sealing element (7) arranged on the outside of the container when the container is assembled being equipped with at least one predetermined tearing point (10) for destroying the tight closure of the container.