Reservoir Safety Cap With Flexible Valve for Dual Pressure Relief
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing safety caps for automobile expansion tanks and radiators are complex and expensive, failing to provide a simple yet reliable solution for pressure regulation within the prescribed limits.
Innovation Solution
A safety cap with a flexible sealing member and biasing element that engages with a valve body to seal or vent fluid reservoirs based on pressure thresholds, using a sealing arrangement with a flexible gasket or umbrella valve to manage over- and under-pressure conditions.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If a traditional safety cap with multiple valves and springs is used, then pressure regulation function is provided, but device complexity increases and manufacturing cost increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent combines the overpressure relief function and underpressure ventilation function into a single integrated sealing arrangement. The flexible sealing member serves dual purposes: sealing the passage during normal operation and providing both overpressure relief (by deforming outward) and underpressure ventilation (by deforming inward), eliminating the need for separate valve mechanisms
Solution Approach 2:
The invention extracts and eliminates the complex multi-valve and multi-spring mechanism from traditional safety caps, retaining only the essential sealing function performed by the flexible sealing member, thereby simplifying the overall device structure while maintaining pressure regulation capability
2Reliability
If a traditional safety cap with multiple components is used, then pressure regulation is achieved, but manufacturing cost increases
Solution Approach 1:
By merging multiple functional components (overpressure valve, underpressure valve, springs) into a single flexible sealing member, the invention reduces the number of parts that need to be manufactured, assembled, and quality-checked, thereby reducing manufacturing cost while maintaining pressure regulation reliability
Solution Approach 2:
The flexible sealing member can be designed as a simpler, more economical component that can be easily replaced if needed, using less expensive materials and manufacturing processes compared to traditional multi-component valve assemblies
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 provides a cost-effective and reliable pressure regulation mechanism that maintains a tight seal and ensures efficient venting or filling of the reservoir, reducing complexity and operational costs while maintaining performance.
Implementation Method 1
a biasing element configured to bias the sealing arrangement into a sealing engagement with a portion of the valve body
Implementation Method 2
when the pressure in the reservoir is below a lower threshold, the flexible sealing member deforms away from the corresponding surface of the sealing member housing, breaking the seal therebetween
Data Source
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AI summary
The invention relates to a safety cap (300) for a fluid reservoir, said safety cap (300) being configured to be attached to a neck of said reservoir, said safety cap (300) comprising: a safety valve configured to regulate the pressure within the reservoir, the safety valve comprising: a valve body (302), configured to be in sealing arrangement with the neck of the reservoir; a sealing arrangement, comprising: a sealing member housing (304) having at least one passage extending therethrough; a first sealing member (3061); a flexible sealing member (3062), wherein in a sealing configuration a surface of the flexible sealing member engages with and forms a seal against a corresponding surface of the sealing member housing to seal the at least one passage; a biasing element (308) configured to bias the sealing arrangement into a sealing engagement with a portion of the valve body; wherein, the safety valve is configured such that when the pressure in the reservoir is above an upper threshold value, the sealing arrangement pushes against the biasing element (308) to move out of sealing engagement with the valve body; wherein, the safety valve is configured such that when the pressure in the reservoir is below a lower threshold, the flexible sealing member (3062) deforms away from the corresponding surface of the sealing member housing (304), breaking the seal therebetween and creating a flow path into the reservoir through the at least one passage in the sealing member housing (304).