Keg Seal Age Identification via Geometric Color Marking
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Solution Overview
Problem
Keg/cask seals used in the beverage industry face challenges with wear-induced porosity or brittleness, making it difficult to determine their age and usage period effectively, especially as they become damaged or fade over time.
Innovation Solution
A keg/cask seal design featuring a colored marking with a defined geometrical shape on its upper side, allowing for manual or automated identification of age through color and shape recognition, using a combination of RAL colors and geometric patterns like encircling rings with segments, which can be changed annually, ensuring redundancy in detection even if faded.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Measurement precision
If a colored marking is applied to the seal, then identification of age is improved, but the marking may fade or be damaged over time
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies colored markings with defined geometrical shapes to the seal surface to indicate age or usage period. Different colors or geometric patterns represent different time intervals, enabling visual identification of the seal's age without requiring complex technical aids.
Solution Approach 2:
The colored marking is applied during the seal manufacturing process or installation, establishing the age identification system in advance. This preliminary action ensures that the identification feature is already present and visible before the seal enters service, eliminating the need for subsequent marking operations.
2Duration of action of stationary object
If the seal material is made durable for long-term use, then service life is improved, but the material becomes porous or brittle due to aging
Solution Approach 1:
The patent uses color changes or geometric pattern changes in the marking system to indicate the age and condition of the seal. This allows operators to monitor seal degradation over time and replace seals proactively before they become porous or brittle, maintaining reliability while maximizing service life.
Solution Approach 2:
The colored marking system provides visual feedback about the seal's age and usage period. This feedback mechanism enables operators to track seal condition over time and schedule replacements appropriately, preventing failures due to aging-related degradation.
3Ease of operation
If manual identification of seal age is used, then simplicity is improved, but accuracy and reliability are reduced
Solution Approach 1:
The patent employs distinctly colored markings with defined geometrical shapes that are easily distinguishable by the human eye. This design enables simple manual identification while maintaining high accuracy, as the color and geometric pattern provide unambiguous age information without requiring complex interpretation.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent combines color information with geometrical shape information to create a two-dimensional identification system. This multi-dimensional approach enhances both simplicity and accuracy, as operators can quickly identify seal age through either color or shape recognition, providing redundant identification pathways.
Data Source
AI summary
A keg/cask seal for a keg or cask containing a beverage is disclosed. A color mark is arranged in a geometrically defined shape on a top side of the keg/cask seal. The geometrically defined color mark allows a conclusion to be drawn about the time lapsed since the keg/cask seal was installed.