Hermetic Sample Container With Gas Extraction for Volatile Control

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Solution Overview

Problem

Conventional vacuum sealable containers lack mechanisms to prevent the release of entrained gases from extraterrestrial samples and maintain a hermetic seal during temperature and pressure changes, leading to potential contamination and loss of sample integrity.

Innovation Solution

A vacuum sealable container with a hermetic two-way seal and gas extraction mechanism, featuring a lid assembly with a claw member, plunger assemblies, and handle members to ensure a secure seal and controlled gas release, using materials like copper, aluminum, and polytetrafluoroethylene, along with a gas fitting and extraction device for volatile gas management.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Reliability

If a conventional vacuum sealable container is used, then the container can be sealed, but it cannot prevent the release of entrained gases from extraterrestrial samples during temperature and pressure changes

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvehermetic seal integrityVSAvoidentrained gas release

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSObject-generated harmful factors

Solution Approach 1:

The sealing system is divided into multiple independent sealing members (first sealing member and second sealing member) positioned at different locations within the container. This segmentation allows each sealing member to independently maintain the hermetic seal, ensuring that gas release from samples does not compromise the overall seal integrity.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

The container maintains an inert or vacuum environment by preventing external atmosphere from entering and by containing volatile gases released from samples. The hermetic seal creates an isolated environment where entrained gases from extraterrestrial samples cannot escape into the external environment.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #39Inert atmosphere (Inert environment)

2Reliability

If the container is designed with robust sealing mechanisms, then sample integrity is maintained, but the device complexity increases

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvesample integrityVSAvoidsealing mechanism complexity

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

Inventive Principle:

Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

Instead of using a complex active mechanism to prevent gas release, the invention uses passive hermetic sealing where the container structure itself and the sealing members create a barrier that naturally prevents gas escape without requiring active control systems.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #13The other way round (Inversion)

3Object-generated harmful factors

If the container allows gas extraction, then volatile management is improved, but the ease of operation decreases

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvevolatile gas managementVSAvoidcontainer operation simplicity

Core Design Contradiction:

Object-generated harmful factorsVSEase of operation

Solution Approach 1:

The container design allows the sealing system to automatically maintain hermetic integrity through the mechanical action of the lid assembly and sealing members, without requiring complex external equipment or procedures. The gas extraction capability is integrated into the container structure itself, enabling self-contained volatile management.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #25Self-service

Data Source

PatentUS20260103324A1Vacuum sealable container

Publication Date: 2026.04.16 HONEYBEE ROBOTICS LTD

AI summary

A vacuum sealable container for securing and transporting extraterrestrial samples includes a container body and a lid assembly detachably coupled to the container body, the lid assembly selectively hermetically sealing the container body. The lid assembly includes at least one plunger assembly configured to press the lid assembly onto the container body in response to a rotational input. A removable handle member is attached to the at least one plunger assembly to provide the rotational input.