Swing-Top Closure Device for Screw-Top Vessels
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Solution Overview
Problem
Screw-top vessels for transporting draft beer often leak due to improper cap application or wear, and swing-top stoppers are not compatible with standard screw-top vessels, limiting their use and requiring frequent replacement.
Innovation Solution
A closure device that converts conventional screw-top vessels into swing-top vessels by using a stopper assembly with a bail wire and adaptor, allowing for a secure, gas-impermeable seal and compatibility with various screw-top vessels, manufactured using high-density polyethylene or alternative materials like PLA plastic.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If a screw cap is used to seal a vessel, then the vessel can be sealed, but the cap may leak due to improper application or wear, requiring frequent replacement and monitoring
Solution Approach 1:
The closure device transitions from a static screw cap to a dynamic swing-top mechanism that provides a positive sealing action through lever wire engagement. The swing-top design allows the closure to actively seal against the vessel rim through mechanical leverage, improving seal integrity without requiring continuous monitoring of cap condition.
Solution Approach 2:
The invention introduces an intermediary lever wire mechanism that mediates between the user and the sealing action. The lever wire engages with the vessel rim and provides mechanical advantage to create a secure seal, eliminating the need for direct user monitoring of cap integrity while ensuring reliable sealing.
2Reliability
If a swing-top stopper is used to provide a secure seal, then freshness is preserved longer, but the device is not compatible with standard screw-top vessels, limiting versatility
Solution Approach 1:
The closure device is designed with universal compatibility, allowing it to function on both standard screw-top vessels and vessels with circumferential ridges. The adaptor component enables the swing-top mechanism to interface with different vessel types, providing multi-functionality and eliminating the need for separate closure devices for different vessel configurations.
Solution Approach 2:
An adaptor component serves as an intermediary between the swing-top closure mechanism and the vessel rim. This adaptor allows the closure to accommodate both screw-top vessels with threaded lips and vessels with circumferential ridges, achieving versatility while maintaining the secure sealing action of the swing-top design.
3Reliability
If a swing-top stopper is used with a smooth spout vessel, then a secure seal is achieved, but the device complexity increases compared to simple screw caps
Solution Approach 1:
The closure device is segmented into distinct functional components: a stopper assembly, a lever wire, and an adaptor. This segmentation allows each component to perform its specific function while simplifying the overall design. The modular structure makes the complex swing-top mechanism easier to manufacture, assemble, and replace if needed.
Data Source
AI summary
A closure device includes a stopper assembly that provides swing-top closure of a vessel, plus an adaptor so the device can be used with screw-top vessels. The stopper assembly is connected to the adaptor by two connected wires: a bail wire that connects to the stopper assembly, and a lever wire that connects to the adaptor. The inner circumference of the adaptor defines a plurality of vessel threads that engage with the threads defined by the neck of a screw-top vessel. The lever wire is readily removable from the adaptor in order to secure the protruding portions of the lever wire beneath the stop ring of the vessel.