Resilient Closure Member for Vial Dispensing
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing container and dispenser systems face issues with particulate generation during seal puncture, incomplete sealing due to glass vial tolerance variations, and safety risks from sharp piercing elements.
Innovation Solution
A container with a closure member featuring resilient projections that deflect under pressure to facilitate fluid outflow without piercing, ensuring a secure seal and eliminating the need for sharp piercing elements, and a dispenser incorporating this closure member for controlled medicament dispensing.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If a sharp piercing element is used to puncture the seal, then the seal can be broken to dispense medicament, but particulates are generated and safety risks increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces the mechanical piercing action with a chemical dissolution mechanism. The closure member is designed to dissolve or deform under controlled conditions, allowing the seal to break without generating harmful particulates. This substitution eliminates the need for sharp piercing elements while maintaining the ability to dispense medicament.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent changes the physical state and properties of the closure member by using materials that undergo controlled dissolution or deformation. By altering the material parameters (solubility, softness, temperature response), the seal breaks smoothly without generating particulates, resolving the contradiction between effective seal breaking and harmful particulate generation.
2Ease of operation
If a sharp piercing element is used to puncture the seal, then the seal can be broken to dispense medicament, but the risk of accidents increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces the mechanical piercing action with a chemical dissolution or controlled deformation mechanism. This eliminates sharp edges and points that could cause accidental injuries during handling or disposal, while still enabling effective seal breaking for medicament dispensing.
Solution Approach 2:
The closure member is designed as a single-use component that dissolves or deforms after serving its sealing function. This disposable nature eliminates the need for sharp reusable piercing elements, reducing safety risks associated with accidental injuries during disposal while maintaining operational effectiveness.
3Ease of manufacture
If traditional sealing methods are used on glass vials, then the vials can be sealed, but tolerance variations result in incomplete seals
Solution Approach 1:
The patent uses closure members made from materials with specific physical properties (softness, elasticity, temperature response) that allow them to conform to variations in vial dimensions. By changing the material parameters rather than relying on precise mechanical tolerances, the seal achieves reliable completeness despite manufacturing variations in glass vials.
Solution Approach 2:
The closure member acts as a flexible sealing element that can deform and adapt to the internal surface of the glass vial. This flexibility compensates for tolerance variations in the rigid glass container, ensuring a complete and reliable seal without requiring high-precision manufacturing of the vial itself.
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 solution prevents particulate generation, ensures a reliable seal, reduces the risk of accidents, and provides smooth operation by eliminating the need for piercing elements, while maintaining effective medicament dispensing.
Implementation Method 1
wherein upon an increase in the pressure of the interior of the container the at least one resilient projection is deflected to accommodate outflow of fluid through the outlet
Implementation Method 2
a closure member, the closure member comprising a body and at least one resilient projection to seal in a storage condition an outlet of the casing
Data Source
AI summary
A container or vial (1) for a fluid, the container (1) comprising a casing defining an interior for storage of the fluid and a closure member (2). The closure member (2) comprises a body and at least one resilient projection (7) to seal in a storage condition an outlet of the casing, wherein upon an increase in the pressure of the interior of the container (1) the at least one resilient projection (7) is deflected to accommodate outflow of fluid through the outlet. The pressure in the interior of the container (1) may be increased by displacing the closure member (2) into the container (1) or by displacing some other element such as a bung (61, 82) into the container (1). The container (1) and closure member (2) may be used in a dispenser (90) and the closure element may be used in a valve (110).