Vacuum Packaging with Movable Partition for Liquid Separation

Solution Overview

Problem

Existing packaging technologies fail to effectively prevent the ingress and egress of liquid or moisture while maintaining airtight and gas-tight conditions, which can lead to spoilage or oxidation of packaged items, especially during long-term storage or transport.

Innovation Solution

A vacuumable container with two movable hollow body parts, where one part covers the central opening to create a sealed environment, allowing liquids and gases to collect in a separate compartment without contacting the packaged item, utilizing flexible or dimensionally stable materials to maintain shape and prevent leakage.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Reliability

If a simple vacuum container is used, then the packaging is easy to manufacture and operate, but liquid or moisture can penetrate into contact with the packaged object causing spoilage

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveprotection from liquid penetrationVSAvoidcontainer structure

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The container is divided into two distinct chambers: a first chamber for receiving the packaged object and a second chamber for collecting liquid or moisture. This segmentation allows the container to simultaneously protect objects from liquid penetration while maintaining a relatively simple overall structure, as each chamber performs a specific function independently.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

A movable partition wall with a filter membrane acts as an intermediary between the first and second chambers. This partition allows gases to pass through while blocking liquid and moisture, thereby preventing liquid penetration to the packaged object while maintaining vacuum functionality. The filter membrane serves as a selective mediator that distinguishes between different phases of matter.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

2Reliability

If liquid is collected in the same chamber as the packaged object, then the container structure is simple, but the object comes into contact with liquid causing unpleasant odors and reduced shelf life

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveshelf life prolongationVSAvoidchamber separation

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The container is divided into two distinct chambers: a first chamber for receiving the packaged object and a second chamber for collecting liquid or moisture. This segmentation allows the container to simultaneously protect objects from liquid penetration while maintaining a relatively simple overall structure, as each chamber performs a specific function independently.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

A movable partition wall with a filter membrane acts as an intermediary between the first and second chambers. This partition allows gases to pass through while blocking liquid and moisture, thereby preventing liquid penetration to the packaged object while maintaining vacuum functionality. The filter membrane serves as a selective mediator that distinguishes between different phases of matter.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

3Shape

If a rigid container is used to maintain shape during evacuation, then the container retains its form under negative pressure, but the container cannot flex to seal openings

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvecontainer form retentionVSAvoidsealing capability

Core Design Contradiction:

ShapeVSEase of operation

Solution Approach 1:

The partition wall is designed to be movable rather than fixed, allowing it to change position dynamically. During evacuation, the flexible portion can deform to seal against the opening of the first chamber. When liquid collects in the second chamber, the partition wall moves accordingly. This dynamic design enables the container to maintain shape under negative pressure while still allowing flexible sealing operations.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #15Dynamics

Solution Approach 2:

The partition wall includes a flexible portion made of elastomeric material that can deform and seal against openings. This flexible element maintains the container's overall rigid structure during evacuation while providing the necessary flexibility for sealing operations and adapting to volume changes as liquid collects in the second chamber.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #30Flexible shells and thin films

4Reliability

If the partition wall is fixed, then the container structure is simple and stable, but liquid and gases cannot be effectively separated and collected

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveliquid-gas separationVSAvoidmovable partition mechanism

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The partition wall is designed to be movable rather than fixed, allowing it to change position dynamically. During evacuation, the flexible portion can deform to seal against the opening of the first chamber. When liquid collects in the second chamber, the partition wall moves accordingly. This dynamic design enables the container to maintain shape under negative pressure while still allowing flexible sealing operations.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #15Dynamics

Solution Approach 2:

A movable partition wall with a filter membrane acts as an intermediary between the first and second chambers. This partition allows gases to pass through while blocking liquid and moisture, thereby preventing liquid penetration to the packaged object while maintaining vacuum functionality. The filter membrane serves as a selective mediator that distinguishes between different phases of matter.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

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

Ensures the packaged items remain isolated from liquids and gases, preventing spoilage and oxidation, while maintaining a constant volume and pressure to retain collected media within the container.

Implementation Method 1

vacuumable container with two movable hollow body parts, where one part covers the central opening to create a sealed environment, allowing liquids and gases to collect in a separate compartment

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectVacuum: Vacuum

Implementation Method 2

utilizing flexible or dimensionally stable materials to maintain shape and prevent leakage

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectPressure gradient: Pressure Gradient

Data Source

PatentEP2976273B1Package for objects and method for packaging objects

Publication Date: 2017.02.01 SCHLEGEL TOBIAS

AI summary

A pack for articles and a method for packaging articles are proposed. The pack has a closable container (1) which accommodates at least one article (2) and can be closed in an air-tight manner and evacuated. The pack also has a dimensionally stable hollow body (3) which can be positioned in the container (1), alongside an article (2), and takes in liquid and/or moisture and/or gases which escape from the article (2) arranged in the container (1), alongside the hollow body (3), or are otherwise contained in the container (1). The hollow body (3) is provided with a first hollow-body part (5), which has an opening (9), and with a second hollow-body part (6), which can be moved in relation to the first hollow-body part (5) and, in an open position, releases the opening (9) of the first hollow-body part (5) and, in a closed position, covers the opening (9) of the first hollow-body part (5).