Sealing Lid Locking Arms for Uniform Leak-Tight Containers
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing container sealing systems often fail to maintain a secure seal, particularly with wet foods, as gaskets and seals may not engage evenly, leading to potential leakage upon bumping or jarring, and it is difficult to confirm a complete seal around the container opening.
Innovation Solution
A releasably sealable container system featuring a lid with a gasket and locking arm mechanism, where the locking arm moves between engaging and disengaging positions through a downward and upward frame motion, ensuring a secure seal by compressing the gasket between the lid and container lip, and providing release handles for easy access.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If gaskets and seals are used to seal the container opening, then liquid-tight sealing is improved, but the seal may not engage evenly and may develop localized areas where liquid can enter or escape
Solution Approach 1:
The locking mechanism is divided into multiple locking arms (typically three) that are distributed around the container opening. Each locking arm independently engages with the container wall, ensuring even distribution of sealing force around the entire perimeter of the opening, thereby preventing localized sealing failures.
Solution Approach 2:
The locking arms are designed with specific geometric features including cammed portions and hook-shaped portions that create localized high-contact-area zones. These features concentrate sealing force at critical points where the gasket meets the container rim, ensuring uniform and reliable sealing engagement around the entire opening.
2Reliability
If a locking mechanism is added to ensure secure sealing, then sealing reliability is improved, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The locking arms are designed to automatically engage and lock into position when the lid is placed on the container. The cammed portions of the locking arms interact with corresponding features on the container wall to create automatic mechanical interlocking, eliminating the need for manual locking operations while ensuring secure sealing.
Solution Approach 2:
The locking and sealing functions are combined into a single integrated mechanism. The locking arms simultaneously perform both the sealing function by compressing the gasket and the locking function by mechanically engaging with the container wall, thereby reducing overall system complexity while maintaining both sealing security and ease of operation.
3Ease of operation
If the lid is designed for easy removal, then ease of operation is improved, but sealing reliability may be compromised
Solution Approach 1:
The locking mechanism transitions from a static locked state to a dynamic unlocked state through simple user interaction. Pulling the lid tab or pressing the release button activates a mechanical linkage that causes the locking arms to pivot and disengage from the container wall, allowing easy lid removal while maintaining secure sealing when locked.
Solution Approach 2:
The mechanism provides tactile and audible feedback to the user indicating when the lid is properly sealed and locked. The cammed portions create distinct engagement positions that can be felt and heard, confirming to the user that the sealing is secure before they remove the lid, thereby maintaining reliability while enabling easy operation.
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 system provides a reliable air-tight and liquid-tight seal, ensuring that contents remain within the container and allows for easy removal and resealing, with features like cammed and hook-shaped portions enhancing the sealing mechanism and user feedback through audible or physical confirmation of a secure seal.
Implementation Method 1
The locking arm moves between an engaging position to lock the lid to the container and a disengaging position permitting the lid to be removed from the container
Implementation Method 2
The locking arm includes a flexible hinge connecting the locking arm to the body to permit the locking arm to pivot relative to the body
Data Source
Figure 1~2
Figure 3
Figure 4A~4D
AI summary
A releasably sealable container system is provided. The container system includes a container, a Hd, a gasket and a locking arm. The container includes a lip defining an opening. The lid is configured to engage the opening. The lid includes a body and a frame. The gasket is configured to cooperate with the lid and the lip to seal the opening. The locking arm is coupled to the body and configured to move between an engaging position to lock the lid to the container and a disengaging position permitting the lid to be removed from the container. The body cooperates with the locking arm to move the locking arm from the disengaging position to the engaging position.