Container with closures
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional insulated containers lack a means to monitor internal temperature, leading to potential spoilage of perishables, and experience pressure differential issues that make opening difficult due to uneven seal pressure and lack of pressure equalization.
Innovation Solution
The design includes a thermometer for temperature monitoring, a floating hinge pin mechanism for improved seal pressure distribution, and a pressure regulator to automatically reduce internal vacuum, facilitating easier lid opening.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If conventional hinges are used to pivot the lid, then the lid can be attached to the base, but uneven pressure is created on the seal resulting in poor sealing performance
Solution Approach 1:
The hinge is divided into multiple segments or pivot points along the lid perimeter, allowing independent adjustment of pressure at different locations. This segmentation enables the seal to receive more uniform pressure distribution across its entire length, improving sealing reliability without compromising ease of operation.
Solution Approach 2:
The hinge mechanism is designed to be dynamic rather than rigid, allowing it to adapt and redistribute pressure automatically as the lid is closed. This dynamic capability enables the system to optimize pressure distribution on the seal in real-time, maintaining both reliable sealing and ease of operation.
2Reliability
If an air tight seal is created in the insulated container, then thermal insulation performance is improved, but pressure differential builds up making it difficult to open the lid
Solution Approach 1:
A pressure equalization valve or vent is extracted from the sealing system, allowing controlled pressure equalization between the interior and exterior of the container. This extracted component maintains the air-tight seal for thermal insulation while providing a dedicated pathway for pressure relief, enabling easy lid opening without compromising insulation performance.
Solution Approach 2:
An intermediary pressure equalization mechanism is introduced between the sealed interior and exterior environments. This mediator allows pressure differential to be managed separately from the main seal, enabling the seal to remain air-tight for thermal insulation while the intermediary component handles pressure equalization to facilitate easy lid opening.
3Ease of operation
If pressure equalization is added to facilitate easy opening, then lid opening becomes easier, but the device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The pressure equalization mechanism is designed to be self-activating, automatically responding to pressure differential without requiring user intervention or complex control systems. This self-service approach enables easy lid opening while minimizing device complexity by eliminating the need for sensors, actuators, or manual operation of the pressure equalization function.
4Reliability
If conventional sealing mechanisms are used, then the container can be closed, but the seal pressure is non-adjustable resulting in poor seal quality
Solution Approach 1:
The sealing mechanism incorporates locally adjustable features at specific points along the seal, allowing pressure to be optimized at critical sealing locations without requiring adjustment of the entire system. This local quality approach improves seal quality while minimizing device complexity by limiting adjustments to only where needed.
Data Source
AI summary
A container having a full perimeter lid pressure or tensioning mechanism. The container can also have a removable temperature sensor to monitor an internal compartment temperature. A pressure regulator is also disclosed to regulate a pressure differential and vacuum of the container in order to control an amount of vacuum sealing of the lid to the container.