Removable Lid Sealing Assembly for Hygienic Drinking Containers
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Solution Overview
Problem
Advanced lid assemblies for drinking containers with interior mechanisms are difficult to clean thoroughly due to complex designs that hinder the removal of bacteria and debris, compromising the cleanliness of the drinking liquid.
Innovation Solution
A lid assembly with a sealing assembly that includes a pivotally mounted sealing element and a releasable mounting member, allowing for the assembly to be disconnected from the lid housing for thorough cleaning, featuring a sliding and telescopic design compatible with elongated and narrow drinking spouts, and a guiding mechanism for easy alignment and operation.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If the lid assembly includes an interior mechanism for selectively opening and closing the drinking opening, then the functionality is improved, but the complexity of cleaning deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The lid assembly is divided into separable components: the lid body and the interior mechanism (sealing assembly with mounting member). This segmentation allows the interior mechanism to be removed from the lid body for thorough cleaning, resolving the contradiction between providing selective opening/closing functionality and maintaining ease of cleaning. The sealing assembly can be completely detached and cleaned separately, eliminating the cleaning difficulties caused by the interior mechanism's complexity.
2Stability of the object's composition
If the sealing assembly remains attached to the lid assembly at all times, then the structural integrity is improved, but the cleanability deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The connection between the sealing assembly and lid body is made dynamic rather than static. The mounting member provides a releasable connection that allows the sealing assembly to be attached during use (maintaining structural integrity) and detached for cleaning (improving cleanability). This dynamic attachment/detachment capability resolves the contradiction between maintaining structural integrity and enabling thorough cleaning.
3Reliability
If the lid assembly features multiple pivotable parts, then the sealing performance is improved, but the device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The lid assembly is segmented into the lid body and a separable sealing assembly. The sealing assembly contains the pivotable parts necessary for sealing performance, but can be completely removed from the lid body when not in use. This segmentation maintains the required sealing performance through the pivotable sealing element while reducing the overall device complexity by allowing removal of the complex mechanism.
Solution Approach 2:
The complex interior mechanism with pivotable parts is extracted as a separate, removable sealing assembly from the lid body. This extraction allows the sealing assembly to provide necessary sealing performance through its pivotable elements while being completely removable for cleaning and storage, thereby reducing the permanent complexity of the overall lid assembly structure.
Data Source
Figure 1A
Figure 1B
Figure 1C
AI summary
A lid assembly (1) for a drinking container, the lid assembly comprising a lid housing (10) having a drinking opening, a sealing assembly (20) comprising a sealing assembly body (22) and a sealing element (21) which is moveable between a first closed position and a second open position, and an operating assembly (40) for operating the sealing assembly to move the sealing element between the first and second positions. The lid assembly further comprises a mounting member (30) onto which the sealing assembly body is pivotally mounted, about a pivot axis (34), and wherein the mounting member is releasably connectable to the lid housing. The invention further concerns an interior mechanism (20, 30) for a lid assembly, and a drinking container comprising such a lid assembly.