Tamper-Evident Valve Cover With Internal Plug Sealing
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing valve covers fail to adequately protect valve openings from exposure, damage, and tampering, particularly from moisture, dirt, and obstructions, which can compromise the seal and safety of compressed gas containers.
Innovation Solution
A valve cover design featuring a cap with a projecting plug and tear strips, along with protrusions for secure installation, that extends to protect the interior side of the valve and provides tamper-evident characteristics by ensuring the cover can only be removed by breaking the tear strips, indicating potential exposure or use.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Object-affected harmful factors
If a simple protective cap is used to cover the valve exterior, then the valve is partially protected from exposure, but the valve opening and interior side remain exposed to moisture, dirt, and obstructions
Solution Approach 1:
The valve cover employs a nested structure where the plug is positioned inside the cap, with the plug extending into the valve opening to provide internal protection while the cap provides external protection. This nested arrangement allows comprehensive protection without requiring separate independent components for each protective function.
Solution Approach 2:
The invention transitions from two-dimensional exterior-only protection to three-dimensional protection by adding the plug element that extends into the valve opening. This dimensional extension allows the cover to protect both the exterior surface and the interior opening space simultaneously.
2Ease of operation
If a removable valve cover is used for easy installation and removal, then ease of operation is improved, but tamper-evident characteristics and leak-free seal assurance are compromised
Solution Approach 1:
The tear strips are pre-positioned and pre-attached to the valve body before the cover is installed. When the cover is removed, the tear strips are damaged or torn away, providing preliminary evidence of removal. This preliminary action ensures that any subsequent removal attempt is immediately detectable through the damaged tear strips.
Solution Approach 2:
The tear strips function as disposable indicator elements that are intentionally designed to be destroyed or damaged upon cover removal. Their sacrificial nature provides reliable tamper evidence at minimal cost, allowing the cover to be easily removed while maintaining security through the destroyed indicator strips.
3Ease of operation
If the valve opening is exposed during storage and transport, then ease of access for valve operation is improved, but the valve becomes vulnerable to damage and malfunction
Solution Approach 1:
The valve cover is pre-installed on the valve during manufacturing or filling operations, providing immediate protection during storage and transport. The plug is positioned in advance to seal the valve opening, preventing any exposure to harmful factors before the valve needs to be accessed for operation.
Solution Approach 2:
The valve cover acts as an intermediary protective barrier between the valve opening and the external environment during storage and transport. It mediates between the need for valve protection and the need for eventual valve accessibility, providing protection when the valve is not in use while allowing easy removal when operation is required.
Data Source
AI summary
The presently-disclosed subject matter includes valve covers. The valve covers can protect valves from exposure as well as from tampering. In some embodiments the valve cover comprises a cap that includes a top end and a side wall that is substantially cylindrical. Embodiments of valve covers also include a plug on an interior side of the top end of the cap that projects toward the opening of the cap. When the valve cover is installed, the plug can extend beyond an opening of the valve.