Hygienic Coupling With Self-Closing Valve for Spill Prevention
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing couplings for fluid flow lines, particularly those handling comestible products, lack a self-closing mechanism to prevent spillage and maintain hygiene when decoupled, and existing solutions are not suitable for comestible products.
Innovation Solution
A coupling design featuring a self-closing mechanism with a biasing member isolated from the flow path, a piston-like valve member, and a test port for monitoring integrity, which ensures the valve closes automatically upon decoupling and reduces product buildup and cleaning challenges.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If a self-closing mechanism is added to prevent spillage upon decoupling, then safety and spillage prevention are improved, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The coupling is divided into separate first and second bodies that can be coupled together or detached. The valve member is segmented from the biasing member, with the valve member positioned in the flow path and the biasing member isolated in a separate chamber. This segmentation allows the self-closing function to be achieved while maintaining simplicity in each component.
Solution Approach 2:
A piston-like valve member acts as an intermediary between the flow path and the biasing member. The valve member translates the biasing force from the isolated biasing member into valve closure action, mediating between the two separate systems and enabling automatic closure without direct connection.
2Ease of manufacture
If the biasing member is isolated from the flow path to reduce product buildup, then hygiene and ease of cleaning are improved, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The biasing member is extracted from the flow path environment and placed in an isolated first chamber. This extraction eliminates product buildup issues around the biasing member while maintaining its functional connection to the valve member through the piston mechanism, achieving hygiene without excessive complexity.
3Reliability
If a valve member with isolation chamber is used to prevent product buildup, then hygiene is improved, but manufacturing complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The first chamber containing the biasing member is merged with the valve member structure, creating an integrated component. The piston-like valve member forms part of the chamber wall, combining the sealing function with the structural function, thereby simplifying manufacturing while maintaining hygiene through isolation.
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 coupling effectively prevents spillage and maintains hygiene by ensuring the valve closes automatically upon decoupling, reducing product buildup and facilitating easy cleaning, while maintaining flow capacity and stability.
Implementation Method 1
the closure mechanism includes a biasing member for biasing the valve member into the closed position
Data Source
AI summary
A coupling for use with comestible products having a first body with a first flow path extending therethrough and a second body with a second flow path extending therethrough. The first and second bodies are configured for coupling together such that the first and second flow paths form a continuous flow path through the coupling. The coupling further comprises a first valve member actuable between an open position, wherein product can pass through the first flow path, and a closed position, wherein the passage of product through the first flow path is prevented, and a first biasing member for biasing the first valve member into the closed position. The coupling is configured such that, if the first and second bodies become decoupled from one another, the first valve member is moved into the closed position. The first biasing member is isolated from the flow path passing through the coupling.