Vacuum Valve Stand-off Design for Flexible Storage Bags
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current vacuum compression storage bags require bulky and complex injection molded valves for air evacuation, which are costly, non-flexible, and inefficient, leading to increased manufacturing costs and storage challenges.
Innovation Solution
A compact and flexible valve with a stand-off, made from plastic materials like polyethylene or polypropylene, featuring a check valve, center carrier film, and a rigid plastic stand-off with protrusions, designed to be inexpensive, easy to manufacture, and capable of efficient air evacuation without collapsing under vacuum pressure.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Strength
If a bulky injection molded valve is used for air evacuation, then the valve is sturdy enough to handle vacuum force, but the valve becomes non-flexible and increases manufacturing cost
Solution Approach 1:
The valve is divided into separate components: a flexible valve body made of thin plastic material and a separate rigid stand-off component. This segmentation allows each part to be optimized independently - the valve body for flexibility and cost, and the stand-off for structural strength against vacuum pressure.
Solution Approach 2:
The rigid stand-off is positioned inside the flexible valve body, with the stand-off's protrusions extending into the bag interior. This nested arrangement allows the rigid support structure to be contained within the flexible valve, combining the benefits of both rigid strength and flexible compactness.
2Productivity
If a rigid valve with legs or protrusions is used to prevent contact with bag contents, then air flow is optimized, but the valve becomes bulky and non-flexible
Solution Approach 1:
The stand-off structure provides localized rigidity only where needed - with protrusions positioned to maintain air flow channels and prevent contact with bag contents. The rest of the valve body remains thin and flexible, optimizing air evacuation efficiency without requiring overall valve bulkiness.
3Productivity
If a complex injection molded valve is used for complete air evacuation, then air removal is effective, but manufacturing cost increases
Solution Approach 1:
The valve material transitions from thick rigid plastic requiring complex injection molding to thin flexible plastic that can be manufactured more simply. The stand-off component is designed with specific geometric parameters (protrusion height and spacing) to maintain air flow channels, achieving effective air evacuation through parameter optimization rather than complex geometry.
4Volume of moving object
If a flexible compact valve is used to reduce packaging size, then storage space is reduced, but the valve must still withstand vacuum pressure
Solution Approach 1:
The rigid stand-off acts as a counterbalancing element that resists the collapsing force of vacuum pressure on the flexible valve body. The stand-off's structural rigidity compensates for the flexibility of the main valve body, allowing the valve to remain compact while withstanding vacuum forces.
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 valve allows for complete air evacuation from storage bags while being compact, flexible, and cost-effective, reducing packaging size and storage space requirements, and maintaining air flow without interfering with the bag's contents.
Implementation Method 1
The stand-off is of sufficient length and width to have the stand-off protrusions extend inwardly through the hole in the bag wall into the interior storage portion of the bag so that when a pump or vacuum hose is placed over the valve to evacuate air, the protrusions of the stand-off will maintain space between hole 58 and the bag contents to thereby provide for air flow
Implementation Method 2
The center carrier film is coated on an exterior surface thereof with an adhesive, wherein at least a portion of the adhesive is on an underside surface of the carrier film. The plastic stand-off is cut from a plastic tape or strip to form the stand-off.
Data Source
AI summary
Valves useful in vacuum compression storage bags are described. The valve includes a check valve, a carrier film having adhesive on a surface thereof, and a plastic stand-off with projecting protrusions. The check valve, carrier film and stand-off each have an opening therethrough which when affixed together align to provide a passageway through the valve. When used with a vacuum compression storage bag, the valve is aligned with a hole through a wall of the bag to provide an air flow passageway through the aligned holes from the interior of the bag through the valve when vacuum force is applied over the valve and the bag sealed. The stand-off extends inside the bag to prevent contents therein from blocking air flow from inside the bag through the valve during vacuum evacuation of air from the bag. The stand-off has a rigidity to prevent collapse of the valve under vacuum force.