Hermetic Food Container Automatic Steam Valve for Pressure Venting
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing hermetic containers for heating food in microwave ovens face challenges with complex and costly steam venting mechanisms, bulky designs, and the need for manual activation, which can lead to unsafe pressure buildup if not properly managed.
Innovation Solution
A compact, automatically operating valve device integrated into the container's lid, utilizing a plastic-moulded control member and elastic tongue to automatically vent steam when internal pressure reaches a critical threshold, ensuring safe and efficient cooking.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If a movable cap valve device is used to vent steam automatically, then steam venting function is improved, but device complexity and manufacturing cost increase
Solution Approach 1:
The valve device is segmented into distinct functional components: a control member with occlusion element for pressure sensing and venting control, and a separate elastic tongue for providing restoring force. This segmentation allows each component to perform its specific function efficiently while simplifying the overall design and manufacturing process.
Solution Approach 2:
The elastic tongue acts as an intermediary element between the control member and the venting hole. It provides the necessary restoring force to close the venting hole after steam discharge, eliminating the need for complex mechanical return mechanisms while ensuring reliable automatic operation.
2Extent of automation
If a mass-based automatic valve is used, then automatic steam venting is achieved, but device size becomes bulky
Solution Approach 1:
The traditional mass-based automatic valve mechanism is replaced with a pressure-sensitive control member system. The control member directly responds to steam pressure and opens the venting hole when pressure exceeds a threshold, eliminating the need for bulky mass components while achieving reliable automatic venting.
Solution Approach 2:
The valve operation is based on changing the pressure parameter of the steam. When steam pressure reaches a critical threshold, it automatically actuates the control member to open the venting hole. This parameter-based control mechanism is more compact than mass-based mechanical systems while maintaining automatic operation.
3Device complexity
If a manual valve activation system is used, then device simplicity is maintained, but safety is compromised due to user error
Solution Approach 1:
The valve device is designed to automatically sense steam pressure and activate venting without user intervention. The control member responds autonomously to pressure changes, and the elastic tongue automatically restores the closed position after venting. This self-service mechanism eliminates user error while maintaining device simplicity.
Solution Approach 2:
The valve system incorporates inherent feedback through the elastic tongue that continuously monitors the position of the control member. When steam pressure closes the venting hole, the elastic tongue is compressed; when pressure releases, the tongue expands to open the hole. This automatic feedback loop ensures safe operation without complex control systems.
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 solution provides reliable, safe, and cost-effective automatic steam venting, preventing pressure buildup and ensuring correct cooking while being compact enough for microwave oven use and easy to manufacture.
Implementation Method 1
an elastic tongue or tab (23) associated with the control member (21), and having a deformed configuration, so as to apply on the control member (21), by effect of this deformed configuration, an elastic force, designated by F
Implementation Method 2
heating and cooking, in particular but not exclusively in a microwave oven
Data Source
Figure 1~2
Figure 3~5
Figure 6~8B
AI summary
A container (10) for heating and cooking food and in general food products in a microwave oven, comprising: - a lower containment body (11), in particular of glass, suitable for containing food (C); - an upper cover (12), in particular of plastic, suitable for hermetically coupling with the lower containment body (11); and - an automatic valve (20), in the shape of a cap, integrated in the upper cover (12) of the container (10), designed to allow the venting and discharge to the outside of the steam (V) that is produced by heating and cooking, in the microwave oven, the food (C) contained in the same container (10); wherein the automatic venting valve (20) in turn comprises: - a control member (21), designed to control the pressure (P) present inside the container; and - an elastic tongue (23) associated and moulded in one piece with the control member (21); wherein the control member (21) is housed and able to rotate in a recess (13) formed in the upper cover (12), and the elastic tongue (23) has a deformed configuration, so as to apply an elastic force (F) directed to press and close the control member (21) against a through hole (15) formed in the bottom (13a) of the recess (13) which houses the control member (21), and therefore prevent the steam (V), produced by the food (C) heated in the microwave oven, from coming out of the container (10); whereby, when the steam pressure (V) produced by heating the food (C) reaches a critical value (P1) inside the container (10) and therefore prevails over the elastic force (F) that closes the control member (21) against the through hole (15) formed in the recess (13), the control member (21) automatically rotates (f1) and tilts, making fulcrum on the bottom (13a) of the recess (13), so as to detach the control member (21) from the through hole (15) and therefore allow the steam (V) to vent outside the container (10).