Vacuum Packaging Leakage Detection via Distance and Pressure Sensors
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current leakage testers for packaging, particularly those used in military settings, have high failure rates and require frequent visits to collect samples, making it difficult to identify microscopic pinholes and causing disagreements about packaging damage, especially when the number of good samples is low, which affects the reliability of chemical, biological, and radiological (CBR) warfare materials and food products.
Innovation Solution
A portable device for testing packaging leakage that uses a test vessel with a sealed internal space, a distance measurement sensor, a pressure measurement sensor, a vacuum pump, and a solenoid valve, allowing on-site testing of packaged products by measuring changes in distance and pressure to detect leaks, reducing the need for frequent sample collection and enabling immediate identification of damaged products.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Measurement precision
If a hot water and pressurization leakage tester is used, then leakage detection capability is improved, but device weight increases and portability is reduced
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces the mechanical hot water and pressurization testing system with a vacuum-based testing system. The vacuum pump creates negative pressure inside the test chamber, and leakage is detected through pressure sensors and distance measurement sensors that monitor changes in the packaged product's state, eliminating the need for heavy hot water circulation equipment while maintaining detection accuracy
Solution Approach 2:
The patent uses a vacuum environment (inert atmosphere) as the testing medium instead of hot water and pressurized air. By creating a vacuum inside the test chamber and monitoring the packaged product's response to the pressure differential, the system achieves effective leakage detection without requiring the complex hydraulic systems of traditional testers
2Ease of operation
If visual inspection is used at the military camp, then ease of operation is improved, but measurement precision deteriorates due to inability to detect microscopic pinholes
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces visual inspection with an automated sensor-based detection system. Distance measurement sensors (such as laser sensors) and pressure sensors automatically monitor the packaged product's state changes under vacuum conditions, providing precise detection of microscopic pinholes and leakage without requiring human visual examination
Solution Approach 2:
The patent introduces distance measurement sensors as intermediaries between the inspector and the packaged product. These sensors indirectly detect leakage by measuring changes in the product's physical state (such as expansion or deformation) caused by internal pressure changes, providing accurate detection without direct visual contact
3Reliability
If frequent visits to military camp are required to collect samples, then reliability of sample selection is improved, but loss of time increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent enables the military camp to perform self-testing of packaged products using the portable leakage testing device. By equipping the camp with this device, they can independently conduct leakage tests on their inventory without requiring external laboratory facilities, eliminating repeated visitation trips while maintaining reliable detection capabilities
Solution Approach 2:
The patent enables preliminary leakage testing to be performed at the military camp before products are deployed or used. By conducting tests in advance using the portable device, potential leakage issues are identified early, preventing the need for repeated visits to collect replacement samples and ensuring product reliability before critical use
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 device effectively minimizes site visits, enhances the reliability of packaging tests, and ensures the integrity of CBR and food products by accurately detecting leaks on-site, reducing failure rates and facilitating better inventory management for CBR warfare preparedness.
Implementation Method 1
a vacuum pump configured to form vacuum in the internal space of the test vessel
Implementation Method 2
The distance measurement sensor may be a laser sensor and may measure a change in distance depending on whether to leak in a vacuum state
Implementation Method 3
a pressure measurement sensor configured to measure a pressure in the test vessel
Data Source
AI summary
The present invention relates to a device for testing packaging leakage using a difference in pressure and distance. The present invention provides a device for testing packaging leakage including a test vessel having a sealed internal space that accommodates a packaged product and having a plurality of compartments, a distance measurement sensor configured to measure a distance to the packaged product, a pressure measurement sensor configured to measure a pressure in the test vessel, a vacuum pump configured to form vacuum in the internal space of the test vessel, a solenoid valve configured to adjust a vacuum level of the test vessel, and a control box interworked with the distance measurement sensor, the pressure measurement sensor, the vacuum pump, and the solenoid valve.