Drinking Container Lid Assembly Segmentation for Cleanability
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing lid assemblies for drinking containers are complex, difficult to clean, and prone to contamination due to intricate mechanisms that complicate the separation and alignment of components, leading to issues with durability, reliability, and user-friendliness.
Innovation Solution
A lid assembly design featuring a releasable mounting member with resilient elements that allows for easy detachment from the lid housing, enabling thorough cleaning and alignment, with a circumferential support frame providing structural support and facilitating the passage of drinking liquid, while maintaining a compact and user-friendly interface.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If the lid assembly uses a complex mechanism with multiple components to enable opening and closing of the drinking opening, then the functionality and user control are improved, but the ease of cleaning deteriorates due to difficulty in separating and accessing all components
Solution Approach 1:
The lid assembly is divided into separable components: the sealing assembly can be detached from the lid housing, and the actuator element can be removed from the sealing assembly. This segmentation allows each component to be cleaned separately, addressing the cleaning difficulty while maintaining the complex functional mechanism during operation.
2Ease of operation
If the guide members and guide tracks are positioned non-centrally to enable separation of the sealing assembly, then the ease of cleaning is improved, but the device complexity increases due to careful alignment requirements
Solution Approach 1:
The guide tracks are positioned asymmetrically and non-centrally on the lid housing, while the guide members on the sealing assembly correspondingly match this asymmetric positioning. This asymmetric design enables straightforward connection without requiring precise central alignment, reducing alignment complexity while facilitating easy separation for cleaning.
3Reliability
If the locking assembly has multiple positions to lock the sealing element in opened and closed states, then the reliability is improved, but the device complexity increases making it difficult to manufacture and maintain
Solution Approach 1:
The locking function is extracted as a separate locking element that can engage with the actuator element at different positions. This extracted locking mechanism provides reliable multi-position locking while maintaining simplicity in manufacturing and maintenance, avoiding the need for a complex integrated locking assembly.
4Volume of moving object
If the sealing assembly has small overall dimensions and fine structure to maintain compactness, then the volume is reduced, but the ease of cleaning deteriorates due to difficulty in accessing small components
Solution Approach 1:
The sealing assembly is designed as a separable component that can be completely detached from the lid housing. This segmentation allows the small, fine-structured sealing assembly to be removed and cleaned separately, making it accessible despite its compact dimensions, while maintaining the space-efficient design when assembled.
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 enhances the cleanability and durability of the lid assembly by allowing for quick and easy disconnection of the mounting member and sealing assembly from the lid housing, ensuring thorough cleaning and reducing the risk of contamination, while maintaining a compact and user-friendly design.
Implementation Method 1
The first resilient element and the second resilient element are biased for pressing against the side wall (13) of the lid housing (10) for connecting the mounting member (30) to the lid housing (10).
Data Source
Figure 1A
Figure 1B
Figure 1C
AI summary
The invention provides a lid assembly (1) comprising a lid housing (10) with a circumferential side wall and a drinking opening (12), a sealing assembly (20) with sealing element (21) moveable between a first and second position for closing and opening the drinking opening (12), and an operating assembly (40) to move the sealing element (21) between first and second position. The invention further concerns an interior mechanism for a lid assembly, and a drinking container comprising such a lid assembly.