Vacuum Packaging Sealing Gasket with Variable Hardness

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Solution Overview

Problem

Vacuum packaging machines often produce defective packages due to unevenness or non-levelness of heating elements, leading to increased loading requirements and reduced equipment lifespan, as existing sealing gaskets made of hard materials like silicone rubber or polyurethane cannot effectively adapt to irregularities.

Innovation Solution

A sealing gasket with a harder outer perimeter and softer inner sections, allowing the softer material to conform to uneven heating elements, with the outer perimeter having a durometer hardness of 60-85 Shore A and the inner sections ranging from 30-50 Shore A, reducing the need for increased loading and improving sealing consistency.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Strength

If the sealing gasket is made of hard material (65-75 Shore A) to bear the load of the upper tool, then the structural strength is improved, but the ability to conform to uneven heating elements deteriorates

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveload-bearing capacityVSAvoidconformability to heating elements

Core Design Contradiction:

StrengthVSAdaptability or versatility

Solution Approach 1:

The sealing gasket is constructed with different hardness values in different regions: the outer peripheral region has a first hardness value (65-75 Shore A) to bear the upper tool load, while the inner region has a second hardness value (30-50 Shore A) to conform to uneven heating elements. This local differentiation of material properties resolves the contradiction between load-bearing strength and adaptability.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #3Local quality

Solution Approach 2:

The sealing gasket uses a composite structure with regions of different material hardness. The outer peripheral region and inner region have distinct durometer values, creating a functionally graded material system that simultaneously achieves both high load-bearing capacity and good conformability to irregular surfaces.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #40Composite materials

2Reliability

If the heating tool load is increased to overcome unevenness of heating elements, then the sealing effectiveness is improved, but the lifespan of heating elements and equipment deteriorates

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvesealing effectivenessVSAvoidequipment lifespan

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSDuration of action of stationary object

Solution Approach 1:

The softer inner region of the sealing gasket (30-50 Shore A) absorbs the unevenness of heating elements through local deformation, allowing the heating tool to operate at normal load levels while still achieving effective sealing contact across all heating elements.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #3Local quality

Solution Approach 2:

The sealing gasket's softer inner region acts as a cushioning element that pre-adapts to the uneven heating element surfaces before sealing occurs, compensating for irregularities in advance and preventing the need for excessive loading that would otherwise accelerate wear.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #11Beforehand cushioning (Prior cushioning)

3Adaptability or versatility

If the sealing gasket is made uniformly soft to conform to heating elements, then the adaptability is improved, but the load-bearing capacity deteriorates

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveconformability to heating elementsVSAvoidload-bearing capacity

Core Design Contradiction:

Adaptability or versatilityVSStrength

Solution Approach 1:

The sealing gasket is designed with spatially varying hardness: the outer peripheral region maintains high hardness (65-75 Shore A) for load-bearing, while the inner region uses softer material (30-50 Shore A) for conformability. This local differentiation allows each region to optimize its function without compromising the other.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #3Local quality

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 solution significantly reduces the production of defective packages by allowing the softer sections of the sealing gasket to adapt to heating element irregularities, maintaining consistent sealing and extending equipment lifespan by distributing loads more effectively.

Implementation Method 1

the softer material to conform to the uneven or non-level condition of the heating elements

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectElastic deformation: Elasticity

Implementation Method 2

the upper and lower film layers forming the horizontal row or rows of filled vacuum-packages are heat-sealed together via an upper heating tool

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectThermal conduction: Conduction (thermal)

Data Source

PatentUS7272918B2Sealing gasket for lower tool of a sealing station of a vacuum packaging machine

Publication Date: 2007.09.25 EPSTEIN MOSHE

AI summary

An improved sealing gasket for a vacuum-sealing station of a vacuum packaging machine which is made such that the outer perimetric portion thereof is made of a greater hardness than the rest of the sealing gasket, whereby the sealing heat-elements of a reciprocal heating element only substantially contacts against the softer material of the sealing gasket, allowing this softer material to conform to the uneven or non-level condition of the heating element. In the preferred embodiment, the outer-most perimeter of the sealing gasket is made of a greater hardness in the approximate durometer-hardness range of between 60-85 Shore A, while the remainder of sealing gasket is made of less hardness in the approximate durometer-hardness range of between 30-50 Shore A.