Slit Valve Design for Reliable Sealing Under Pressure
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing self-closing, slit-type valves for fluent substance containers lack improvements in design for efficient and reliable sealing and pressure differential management, particularly in maintaining a closed configuration under varying environmental pressures.
Innovation Solution
A slit valve with a flexible, resilient design featuring a permanently deformed film material structure, including a central head and annular attachment portion, with self-sealing slits and openable portions that transition between closed and open configurations based on pressure differentials, ensuring reliable sealing and efficient fluid control.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If traditional self-closing slit-type valves are used, then the valve can automatically close to shut off flow, but the sealing reliability and pressure differential management are insufficient
Solution Approach 1:
The valve employs a flexible membrane structure made from permanently deformed film material that forms the head and intermediate portion. This thin film approach provides reliable sealing through the inherent flexibility and conformability of the membrane, which can adapt to pressure differentials and maintain seal integrity without requiring complex mechanical sealing components.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent combines multiple valve functions into a single integrated membrane structure. The head with slits, the intermediate portion, and the attachment portion are formed as one unified component from permanently deformed film material, eliminating the need for separate sealing elements, springs, or actuating mechanisms while maintaining automatic closing functionality.
2Reliability
If the valve is designed to withstand the weight of fluid product when inverted, then leakage is prevented, but the valve may not open reliably when pressure differential increases
Solution Approach 1:
The valve design incorporates dynamic characteristics through the flexible membrane structure that can adapt its rigidity based on applied pressure. The permanently deformed film material provides sufficient structural integrity to resist fluid weight in inverted positions, while the inherent flexibility allows the membrane to deflect and open reliably when pressure differential exceeds the holding force, enabling automatic operation without manual intervention.
3Ease of manufacture
If permanently deformed film material is used, then the valve is cost-effective and lightweight, but the manufacturing precision and material thickness control become critical
Solution Approach 1:
The patent specifies a controlled material thickness parameter T in the range of 0.001 to 0.010 inches for the permanently deformed film material. This parameter control ensures that the membrane has sufficient flexibility for reliable opening while maintaining adequate structural integrity for sealing and withstanding inverted fluid weight. The defined thickness range balances manufacturing feasibility with performance requirements.
4Reliability
If the head surfaces are formed with convex and concave configurations, then sealing surfaces are improved, but the manufacturing complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The convex and concave surface configurations on the head are formed as integral features of the flexible membrane structure. These surface geometries provide enhanced sealing contact areas that conform to mating surfaces, improving sealing reliability through the membrane's ability to deform and adapt. The surfaces are created through the permanent deformation process applied to the film material, maintaining manufacturing simplicity while achieving functional complexity.
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 valve effectively restricts fluid passage between environments, maintaining a closed configuration under static conditions and opening with increased pressure differentials, ensuring reliable dispensing and minimizing leakage, while being cost-effective and lightweight due to the use of permanently deformed film material.
Implementation Method 1
The head and the intermediate portion are formed from a film of material that has undergone a permanent deformation to define the head and the intermediate portion
Data Source
AI summary
A slit valve (10) to selectively restrict the passage of a fluent substance between an interior environment (17) and an exterior environment (15) and a method for forming the valve (10), the method including the steps of providing at least one layer of film material and permanently deforming the film material to define a valve (10) for selectively restricting the passage of a fluent substance between an interior environment (17) and an exterior environment (15).