Vacuum Sample Container Lid With Planetary Gear Sealing
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional vacuum sealable containers lack mechanisms for extracting gases from the container after it is returned to Earth, leading to potential contamination from volatile samples and inadequate sealing against pressure changes during transportation between different environments.
Innovation Solution
A vacuum sealable container with a planetary gearbox, soft dock, and extraction device that allows for hermetic sealing and gas extraction, featuring a lid assembly with a handle and locking mechanism to secure the drive tube, and a two-way seal to prevent gas leakage and atmospheric infiltration.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If a conventional vacuum sealable container is used, then the container can provide basic sealing, but it lacks mechanisms for extracting gases after return to Earth, leading to potential contamination from volatile samples
Solution Approach 1:
The container is divided into functionally independent modules: a hermetic seal assembly for sealing, a planetary gearbox for mechanical advantage, a soft dock with retention members for securing the drive tube, and an extraction device for gas removal. Each module performs a specific function, allowing the system to achieve reliable sample preservation while managing complexity through functional segmentation.
Solution Approach 2:
The container is pre-configured with a hermetic seal assembly and retention members before sample insertion. The lid assembly with integrated sealing mechanisms is prepared in advance to ensure immediate hermetic sealing upon closure, preventing contamination before volatile samples can escape during transportation.
2Object-affected harmful factors
If the container is designed with basic sealing only, then the device complexity is low, but it cannot prevent atmospheric infiltration or gas leakage during transportation between different environments
Solution Approach 1:
A hermetic seal assembly acts as an intermediary barrier between the internal container environment and the external atmosphere. The seal includes a lid assembly with sealing surfaces and retention members that create a hermetic barrier, preventing atmospheric infiltration and gas leakage during transportation between different environmental conditions.
Solution Approach 2:
The container design incorporates a planetary gearbox that provides mechanical advantage, allowing the sealing mechanism to achieve and maintain hermetic sealing under varying pressure conditions. The retention members can adjust their securing force to maintain seal integrity as external pressure parameters change during transportation.
3Reliability
If a hermetic seal assembly with planetary gearbox is implemented, then gas extraction and secure sealing are achieved, but the device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The hermetic seal assembly merges multiple functions into a single integrated mechanism: the lid assembly provides both sealing and retention functions, the planetary gearbox integrates torque multiplication with the sealing action, and the soft dock combines retention members with the hermetic barrier. This consolidation reduces the number of separate components while maintaining reliable gas extraction and sealing capabilities.
Solution Approach 2:
The planetary gearbox automatically provides mechanical advantage during the sealing process, multiplying the input torque to achieve hermetic sealing without requiring external assistance. The retention members self-adjust to secure the drive tube firmly within the receiving space, maintaining seal integrity through automatic mechanical response to pressure differential.
Data Source
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 an input shaft configured to receive a rotational input; a planetary gearbox including a sun gear fixed to the input shaft and at least one planetary gear configured to receive a torque input via the sun gear; an output shaft coupled to the at least one planetary gear; and a locking assembly coupled with the output shaft.