Resealable Cap Valve Plug for Reliable Vacuum Sealing
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing resealable caps with integrated valves for containers fail to provide a reliable and lasting seal, as the slit valves are prone to fouling and air leakage, leading to deterioration of contents due to undetected air ingress.
Innovation Solution
A resealable cap design incorporating a moveable valve-like plug that can be manually actuated to create and maintain a reduced pressure within the container, using a piston or rod to push the plug into a sealed engagement, ensuring a positive and lasting seal.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Device complexity
If a slit valve is used in the cap, then the device complexity is reduced and manufacturing is simplified, but the reliability of the seal deteriorates due to fouling and air leakage
Solution Approach 1:
The valve is segmented into a movable plug portion and a stationary seat portion, allowing the plug to be actuated independently to open or close the passage. This segmentation enables reliable sealing through positive engagement between the plug and seat, while maintaining simple overall structure.
Solution Approach 2:
The valve plug is made movable rather than fixed, allowing it to dynamically transition between open and closed positions. This dynamic capability enables the valve to maintain reliability by actively sealing when needed, while the simple actuation mechanism keeps device complexity low.
2Ease of operation
If a pneumatic valve is used to maintain vacuum, then the ease of operation is improved, but the reliability deteriorates due to undetected valve failure and distortion
Solution Approach 1:
The valve plug is designed to be manually actuated by the user through a simple pushing motion on the cap top. This self-service approach eliminates complex pneumatic control systems, improving ease of operation while the direct mechanical connection ensures reliable sealing without undetected failures.
Solution Approach 2:
The valve design provides tactile feedback to the user when actuated, allowing the user to confirm the valve has been properly closed. This feedback mechanism ensures the user knows the valve is sealed, improving reliability without adding complex control systems.
3Ease of manufacture
If the valve is made as a simple slit, then the ease of manufacture is improved, but the reliability worsens due to difficulty in cleaning and fouling
Solution Approach 1:
The valve is segmented into a removable or movable plug portion that can be separated from the cap body. This segmentation allows the plug to be easily removed for cleaning or replacement, maintaining manufacturing simplicity while enabling reliable cleaning to prevent fouling.
Solution Approach 2:
The valve plug acts as an intermediary element between the cap interior and exterior. Its movable design allows it to be actuated to open or close the passage, and its separable nature enables easy cleaning without disassembling the entire cap, maintaining both manufacturing ease and cleaning reliability.
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 design enhances sealing efficiency, reduces air leakage, and maintains the vacuum effectively, thereby preserving the quality of contents by preventing air from entering the container.
Implementation Method 1
a pump device is used to remove at least a substantial portion of the air from the container, thereby drawing a vacuum within the bottle
Implementation Method 2
The slit is held closed by the elastic properties of the material and/or by the pressure difference across the valve
Implementation Method 3
The stopper shaft has an axial channel and the valve has an opening in the form of a slit which is located in the path of the channel. The valve can open outwards, allowing the slit to open, to permit the extraction of air from the container. The slit is held closed by the elastic properties of the material
Data Source
AI summary
A resealable cap having a valve-type plug incorporated therein, and a device for manipulating the valve-type plug into a closed, sealed, position to maintain a decreased pressure in a container.