Sealable Container Friction Seal Design
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing sealable containers fail to provide a reliable, waterproof, and airtight solution for protecting items in wet or dirty environments, particularly for outdoor activities or daily use, as they often lack effective sealing mechanisms and durability.
Innovation Solution
A sealable container design featuring a cap and body with a protruding end that forms a friction seal when inserted into a channel, utilizing guide rails and sealers to create a flush fit and prevent water or air ingress, made from durable materials like plastic using injection molding processes.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If a traditional cap and body design is used, then the container structure is simple, but it fails to provide a reliable waterproof and airtight seal
Solution Approach 1:
The cap is designed with a protruding end that inserts into a channel within the body walls, creating a nested structure where the cap penetrates and seals within the body cavity. This nesting arrangement enables the friction seal mechanism while maintaining a compact overall structure.
Solution Approach 2:
The sealing mechanism utilizes friction between the protruding end of the cap and the inner surface of the channel, creating a flexible friction seal that conformally contacts the sealing surfaces. This friction-based sealing approach provides reliable waterproof and airtight protection without requiring rigid complex gasket structures.
2Reliability
If a friction seal mechanism with protruding end and channel is implemented, then waterproof and airtight seal is achieved, but the manufacturing process becomes more complex
Solution Approach 1:
The container is divided into two separate components - the body with an integrated channel and the cap with an integrated protruding end. This segmentation allows each component to be manufactured independently using standard injection molding processes, then assembled by inserting the protruding end into the channel, achieving complex sealing functionality through simple component integration.
Solution Approach 2:
The channel is integrated directly into the body walls and the protruding end is integrated into the cap structure, merging the sealing features with the main components. This eliminates the need for separate sealing elements or additional assembly steps, maintaining manufacturing simplicity while achieving reliable friction-based waterproof and airtight sealing.
3Reliability
If guide rails are added to prevent accidental opening, then the seal reliability is improved, but the device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The protruding end of the cap is designed to insert into the channel in a specific orientation and position during the closing action. This preliminary positioning ensures that the friction seal surfaces engage correctly and the container cannot accidentally open, as the cap must be deliberately removed from its inserted position. The sealing and locking actions are combined in this single preliminary insertion movement.
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 container achieves a waterproof and airtight seal, ensuring the contents remain protected and secure, suitable for various uses such as holding ammunition, cigarettes, or art supplies, with a design that prevents accidental opening and facilitates easy handling.
Implementation Method 1
The channel is sized to receive the protruding end in a friction seal when the container is in a closed position
Data Source
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AI summary
An embodiment of a container may include a cap and a body. The body may include a bottom and body walls extending from the bottom from proximal ends of the body walls to distal ends of the body walls. The body walls may have a channel disposed within the body walls and proximate the distal ends of the body walls. The channel may have a floor, an opening proximate the distal ends of the body walls, an inner wall including an upper inner rim disposed a first distance from the bottom of the body, and an outer wall including an upper outer rim disposed a second distance from the bottom of the body. The second distance may be greater than the first distance relative to the bottom of the body. The channel may be sized to receive a portion of the cap when the container is in a closed position.