Rotational Vacuum Coupling for Toolless Seal Disassembly
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current rotational vacuum couplings in meat processing facilities are complex to disassemble, clean, and reassemble, posing challenges for maintaining cleanliness and preventing bacterial growth, as they often require tools and are not designed for easy sterilization.
Innovation Solution
A toolless disassembly rotational valve coupling with a weld mount tube and a flexing arm extension, connected to a non-rotating coupling housing body, allows for hand-operable disassembly and reassembly using a coupling handle ring, ensuring easy cleaning and sterilization of food-grade materials.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If traditional rotational vacuum couplings are used, then the coupling provides vacuum connection functionality, but the coupling is complex to disassemble and requires tools for disassembly and cleaning
Solution Approach 1:
The coupling is divided into separate components including a coupling body, seal assembly, and retaining ring that can be independently accessed and removed. This segmentation allows the seal assembly to be extracted through the opening without requiring tool-based disassembly of the entire coupling structure.
Solution Approach 2:
The seal assembly is extracted as a removable component through the opening in the coupling body. The retaining ring holds the seal assembly in place during operation but can be easily removed to allow extraction of the seal for cleaning or replacement without disassembling the entire coupling.
2Ease of operation
If traditional rotational vacuum couplings are used, then the coupling maintains vacuum seal, but the coupling requires tools for disassembly and reassembly
Solution Approach 1:
The coupling design allows operators to perform disassembly, cleaning, and reassembly operations manually without requiring external tools. The retaining ring can be removed by hand to access the seal assembly, and all components can be reassembled using manual operations, enabling quick maintenance during production breaks.
3Ease of manufacture
If the coupling is designed for easy disassembly, then cleaning and sterilization become simpler, but the sealing reliability may be compromised
Solution Approach 1:
The seal assembly can be completely extracted from the coupling body through the opening for thorough cleaning and sterilization. This extraction capability allows the seal to be removed, cleaned separately, and sterilized without disassembling the entire coupling structure, maintaining both ease of cleaning and sealing reliability.
Solution Approach 2:
The coupling design anticipates cleaning requirements by providing an opening and retaining ring mechanism that facilitates easy access to the seal assembly before contamination becomes problematic. This preliminary design consideration enables quick cleaning during production breaks, preventing bacterial growth and maintaining hygiene standards.
4Object-affected harmful factors
If the coupling uses food grade materials for sterilization, then cleanliness is improved, but the manufacturing complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The coupling components are designed to be manufactured from food-grade materials such as stainless steel throughout, ensuring uniform contamination resistance across all parts. This homogeneous material selection simplifies the manufacturing process compared to using multiple material types while maintaining the ability to sterilize all components together.
Data Source
AI summary
A hand disassembly rotational valve coupling for tool less manipulation by a user's hands and fingers using a coupling housing body defining an output seal aperture close to an output handle retention slot and slot lip, where the slot lip has a slot handle gap and an output seal retainer including a coupling handle ring with a first triangulated offset body retention ears and hand graspable handles separated by a ring handle gap for hand assembly and disassembly from the coupling housing body.