Vacuum-Sealed Smoothie Container for Oxygenation Suppression
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Solution Overview
Problem
Freshly made smoothies and fruit/vegetable juices lose nutrients and freshness due to oxygenation when exposed, leading to diminished vitamins and enzymes, and a need for a device to preserve these ingredients for on-the-go consumption.
Innovation Solution
A sealable drinking container equipped with an air-extracting mechanism that uses a sealable coupling mechanism to extract air from the container space, acting as an oxygenation suppressing apparatus, maintaining the freshness and nutrients of beverages like smoothies and juices.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If the smoothie is stored in a sealed container, then the convenience for on-the-go consumption is improved, but oxygenation occurs causing loss of nutrients and freshness
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts air (oxygen) from the container headspace using a plunger mechanism. The air extractor removes the harmful substance (oxygen) that causes oxidation, allowing the container to remain sealed for convenience while preventing nutrient loss by taking out the air that would otherwise cause deterioration.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent creates an inert atmosphere by removing air from the container headspace. This vacuum or reduced-pressure environment prevents oxidation reactions, preserving vitamins and enzymes while allowing the container to be sealed for portable consumption.
2Ease of operation
If the container is opened frequently for consumption, then the beverage is accessible, but oxygenation accelerates nutrient degradation
Solution Approach 1:
The air extractor is used before sealing the container to remove air from the headspace. This preliminary action of extracting air creates a protective environment that maintains freshness during storage, allowing the container to be opened and closed multiple times without accelerating degradation.
Solution Approach 2:
By extracting air from the container before sealing, the patent removes the oxygen that would cause oxidation during storage. This allows the beverage to remain fresh for extended periods while maintaining accessibility through normal opening/closing operations.
3Loss of substance
If an air-extracting mechanism is added to the container, then oxygenation is suppressed preserving nutrients, but the device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The air extractor is designed as a manual plunger mechanism that the user operates themselves. This self-service approach eliminates the need for complex electric pumps or automated systems, keeping the device simple while effectively removing air to preserve nutrients.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent uses a simple mechanical plunger system instead of complex electronic or pneumatic air extraction systems. This mechanical substitution maintains effectiveness in removing air while minimizing device complexity and cost.
4Reliability
If the container space is completely sealed, then air leakage is prevented, but air extraction becomes difficult
Solution Approach 1:
The container lid is designed to be dynamically adjustable during the air extraction process. The seal can be temporarily opened or adjusted to allow air removal, then restored to a fully sealed position afterward. This dynamic behavior resolves the contradiction between needing a tight seal for preservation and needing access for air extraction.
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 air-extracting mechanism effectively preserves the taste, nutrients, and natural appearance of beverages by preventing oxygenation, making them suitable for on-the-go consumption while maintaining their health benefits.
Implementation Method 1
an air-extracting device operable to extract air from the sealable container space thereby suppressing oxygenation of the contained beverage therein
Implementation Method 2
the sealing element comprises an air tight seal configured to prevent leakage of air into the sealable container space
Implementation Method 3
the container body comprises a double wall having an inner wall and an outer wall configured to inhibit conduction of heat from the sealable container space
Data Source
AI summary
A sealable drinking container for preserving the freshness, taste, nutrients and natural appearance of a smoothie/fruit and vegetable juice/green drinks, where a container body and an upper cap assembly have a sealable coupling mechanism forming the sealable drinking container and an air extracting device for extracting air from the sealable space, and where the air-extracting mechanism may be incorporated within an air-extracting chamber associated with the upper cap assembly and used with various types of containers.