Tap With Dismountable Cannula And Interlocking Stopper
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing valves for containers with small diameters, such as those used in the wine industry, face issues with assembly compatibility, reliable operation, and contamination risks due to non-food-grade materials and unreliable stopper mechanisms.
Innovation Solution
A valve design featuring a body with a bore that allows communication between internal and external zones, a movable stopper with a coupling system that connects to a cannula, and a sealing mechanism to ensure safe operation and assembly in small-diameter orifices, using food-grade materials to prevent contamination.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If a valve body with a bore is used to control liquid flow in small-diameter container orifices (e.g., 18.63 mm), then the valve can be assembled in existing tanks without modification, but the body outside diameter must be reduced below 20 mm which complicates the sealing and structural design
Solution Approach 1:
The valve is divided into separate components: a body with bore, a stopper with coupling system, and a cannula. This segmentation allows each component to be optimized independently - the body can be designed for small-diameter assembly while the stopper and cannula provide the necessary sealing and flow control functions separately
Solution Approach 2:
The stopper is inserted into the body bore, and the cannula is coupled to the stopper, creating a nested arrangement. The coupling system uses a male part on the stopper and a female part on the cannula that interlock, allowing compact assembly within the constrained space of small-diameter orifices while maintaining effective sealing and flow control
2Ease of operation
If a stopper mechanism is used to open and close the valve, then flow control is achieved, but the stopper may not reliably clip onto the cannula or may fall inside the container, making it impossible to close the tap
Solution Approach 1:
The coupling system is designed so that the male part on the stopper and the female part on the cannula are pre-configured to interlock in a specific orientation. The peripheral surfaces with complementary shapes guide the stopper into correct alignment with the cannula before engagement, ensuring reliable connection and preventing the stopper from falling inside the container
Solution Approach 2:
The male and female parts of the coupling system have asymmetric peripheral surfaces with specific geometric features (such as flats or keyed surfaces) that allow engagement only in the correct rotational orientation. This asymmetric design ensures the stopper clips onto the cannula reliably and prevents incorrect assembly or accidental disengagement
3Ease of manufacture
If plastic materials are used for the stopper and cannula to enable clipping mechanisms, then assembly is simplified, but contamination risk increases because plastic is not food-grade compatible
Solution Approach 1:
The material parameter is changed from plastic to food-grade stainless steel for all components contacting the liquid (body, stopper, cannula). The clipping mechanism is redesigned using metal-forming techniques such as crimping, deformation, or interference fitting instead of plastic molding, maintaining assembly simplicity while ensuring food-grade compatibility and preventing contamination
4Reliability
If the cannula is made removable for cleaning between samples, then contamination risk is reduced, but the coupling system must be designed to ensure reliable reconnection
Solution Approach 1:
The coupling system is designed with self-aligning features where the male and female parts have complementary geometric shapes that automatically guide the stopper and cannula into correct alignment during reconnection. This self-service design ensures reliable reconnection without requiring complex alignment procedures or additional adjustment mechanisms, maintaining simplicity while enabling easy cleaning and reassembly
Data Source
Figure 1~5
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Figure 12~13E
AI summary
The invention concerns a tap comprising: - a body (16) that has a bore (20) - a stopper (24) movable in translation between a first position, corresponding to the closed state of the tap, and a second position, corresponding to the open state of the tap, - a dismountable spout (26), - a coupling system (90), configured to link the stopper (24) and the spout (26), comprising a male part and a female part allowing them to be interlocked with each other in an interlocking direction, perpendicular to the axis (A20) of the bore (20), when the stopper (24) is in the first position, and to be immobilised relative to each other in the direction of movement (DD) of the stopper (24) when the male and female parts are coupled.