Removable Valve Insert for Drink Container Closure
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional drink containers with valved drink spouts face difficulties in cleaning, especially when used with beverages containing sugar or suspended particulates, as these substances can foul the spout and valve components.
Innovation Solution
A closure assembly for drink containers featuring a valve insert with a liquid inlet and outlet, which can be selectively rotated to transition between a closed and drink configuration, and a valve insert retainer to prevent accidental removal of the valve insert, allowing for easy cleaning and maintenance.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If the valve insert and spout are integrated into a fixed closure structure, then the closure provides reliable sealing and dispensing control, but the components become difficult to clean and maintain
Solution Approach 1:
The closure assembly is divided into separable components: a closure body and a valve insert that can be removed from the closure base. The valve insert contains the valve mechanism and spout, and can be detached for cleaning or replacement while the closure base remains. This segmentation allows the sealing surfaces to maintain reliable contact when assembled, while enabling easy access to internal components for cleaning by separating them.
Solution Approach 2:
The valve insert is extracted as a removable component from the closure base. It can be selectively removed through the opening in the closure base without disassembling the entire closure assembly. This extraction capability provides access to the valve mechanism and spout for cleaning purposes, while the closure base with its sealing surfaces remains intact and can be reused.
2Ease of repair
If the valve insert is made removable for cleaning purposes, then cleaning access is improved, but the risk of accidental removal increases
Solution Approach 1:
A retention mechanism acts as an intermediary between the valve insert and closure base. This mechanism includes retention features on both components that engage to hold the valve insert in place during normal use, preventing accidental removal. The retention mechanism can be deliberately actuated or released to allow intentional removal for cleaning, thus mediating between the need for secure retention and the need for removable access.
Data Source
Figure 1
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AI summary
Closure assemblies and drink containers including the same. A drink container includes a liquid vessel and a closure assembly. A closure assembly includes a closure base, a valve insert, and a valve insert retainer. The closure base defines a base interior side, a base exterior side, and a closure base passage. The valve insert is operatively received within the closure base passage and includes a liquid inlet and a liquid outlet. The valve insert is configured to transition the closure assembly between a closed configuration and a drink configuration. The valve insert retainer is configured to prevent removal of the valve insert from the closure base when operatively coupled to the valve insert. The valve insert is configured to be selectively and repeatedly received by and removed from the closure base passage only when the valve insert retainer is selectively removed from the valve insert.