Plastic Tube Sealing and Testing Apparatus
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current methods for producing filled plastic tubes do not incorporate testing methods to ensure proper sealing, which can lead to seal failures when delivered to consumers, due to variations in tube dimensions and plastic composition affecting melt flow index and wall thickness.
Innovation Solution
A combined tube sealing and testing apparatus with a housing containing a sealing chamber, heating apparatus, clamping devices, and a control processor that controls the heating and clamping processes, along with sensors for precise positioning and pressure/vacuum testing to ensure consistent sealing and wall strength.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If heating and clamping devices are used to seal plastic tubes, then sealing function is achieved, but seal quality varies due to differences in tube dimensions and plastic composition
Solution Approach 1:
The patent incorporates sensors to detect tube position, wall thickness, and sealing parameters in real-time, feeding this information back to a control system that automatically adjusts heating temperature, clamping force, and sealing time to maintain consistent seal quality despite variations in tube dimensions and plastic composition
Solution Approach 2:
The system dynamically adjusts sealing parameters (temperature, pressure, time) based on detected tube characteristics such as wall thickness and material properties, allowing the sealing process to adapt to different tube specifications and plastic compositions to achieve uniform seal quality
2Reliability
If testing apparatus is added to ensure proper sealing, then seal reliability is improved, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent combines the sealing apparatus and testing apparatus into a single integrated system where the sealing chamber serves dual purposes: sealing tubes during production and testing seal integrity afterward, eliminating the need for separate testing equipment and reducing overall system complexity
Solution Approach 2:
The sealing chamber and associated components serve multiple functions: heating and clamping for sealing, pressure application for testing, and vacuum application for leak detection, allowing one device to perform both sealing and testing operations
3Manufacturing precision
If multiple sensors and control elements are integrated, then sealing precision is improved, but manufacturing cost increases
Solution Approach 1:
The system uses sensors to automatically detect tube position and dimensions, with the control system autonomously calculating and adjusting sealing parameters without requiring manual measurement or adjustment, reducing labor costs while maintaining high precision through automated feedback control
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
Ensures reliable and consistent sealing of plastic tubes by controlling heat application, clamp jaw spacing, and testing for seal integrity, reducing the likelihood of seal failures and improving production reliability.
Implementation Method 1
The tube may then be conveyed to a heating device such as a hot air blower to heat the plastic to a selected temperature approximately the melting point of the plastic
Implementation Method 2
The tube may then be conveyed to a jaw clamping device to press or crimp the open end plastic wall together to heat seal the open end
Implementation Method 3
The sealing disk may have a port to apply a vacuum to the test container
Data Source
AI summary
A tube sealing positioning apparatus has a tube holder slidable on a vertical guide from a lower to an upper portion of a sealing chamber for positioning adjacent a heating apparatus and a clamping apparatus. The heating apparatus may have a nozzle to direct heated air on an open end of a plastic tube. The clamping apparatus may have two clamping devices slidably disposed to clamp the heated open end of the plastic tube to fuse the tube wall adjacent the open end. A control processor may be connected to control movement and dwell time of the tube holder, and to control heat application and clamp spacing and time. A sealed tube may be attached to a top cover to be positioned in a test container. A sealing disk may close the top cover and may direct fluid pressure into the tube and apply a vacuum to the test container.