Waste Container Elastomeric Seal Odor Control
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing waste containers for sanitary products, such as diapers, often fail to effectively prevent odor escape, as they lack a reliable mechanism to maintain airtight seals and are cumbersome to use.
Innovation Solution
A portable waste container with a canister, retainer frame, and lid assembly that uses elastomeric seals and a sliding door mechanism to maintain airtightness, allowing for easy bag installation and disposal while preventing odor escape through a pivotally attached design.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Object-affected harmful factors
If a trash bag liner is used to hold waste, then the container is protected from contamination, but odors can still escape from the container
Solution Approach 1:
An elastomeric seal acts as an intermediary between the lid and canister, creating an airtight barrier that prevents odor escape while maintaining the protective function of the trash bag liner. The seal fills the gap between mating surfaces, ensuring that harmful factors (odors) are contained without compromising the container's protective function.
Solution Approach 2:
The elastomeric seal is a flexible thin film that conformally seals the interface between the lid and canister. This flexible sealing mechanism adapts to surface irregularities and maintains an airtight barrier, preventing odor escape while allowing for thermal expansion and contraction of the container components.
2Object-generated harmful factors
If a complex odor-trapping mechanism is implemented, then odor escape is reduced, but the device becomes more complex and difficult to use
Solution Approach 1:
The odor prevention function is segmented into two independent components: the trash bag liner for waste containment and the elastomeric seal for odor prevention. This segmentation allows each component to perform its specific function effectively without adding unnecessary complexity to the overall system. The seal is a simple additive component rather than a complex mechanical mechanism.
Solution Approach 2:
The elastomeric seal is designed as a simple, inexpensive component that can be easily replaced if needed. Rather than implementing a complex mechanical odor-trapping system, the patent uses a straightforward sealing solution that achieves odor prevention through material properties (elastomeric sealing) rather than complex mechanisms.
3Ease of manufacture
If the retainer frame is fixed in position, then bag installation is simple, but the lid cannot be properly closed over the opening
Solution Approach 1:
The retainer frame is made dynamic by allowing it to pivot between a raised position (for bag installation) and a lowered position (for lid closure). This dynamic adjustment resolves the contradiction by enabling the system to adapt its configuration based on the operational phase: open for bag installation, closed for lid sealing. The pivotal movement allows both simple bag installation and proper lid closure to be achieved sequentially.
4Reliability
If the retainer frame is lowered to retain the bag, then the bag is securely held, but the opening is blocked preventing lid closure
Solution Approach 1:
The retainer frame's pivotal capability allows it to dynamically switch between retention and closure modes. When the lid needs to be closed, the retainer frame pivots to a position where it no longer blocks the opening, yet the elastomeric seal maintains bag retention. This dynamic reconfiguration resolves the blocking issue while preserving reliable bag retention through the sealing action.
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 container effectively minimizes odor escape and is easy to use, making it suitable for sanitary waste and general garbage disposal, with elastomeric seals providing a reasonably airtight seal and a biasing device ensuring the sliding door remains closed.
Implementation Method 1
The container includes a first seal between the lid and the canister and a second seal between the sliding door and the lid
Implementation Method 2
a biasing device configured to bias the sliding door against the second seal
Data Source
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AI summary
A waste container (10) for disposing sanitary waste, such as soiled diapers, comprises a canister (12) having a storage space, an opening (18) at an upper end and a bottom (16) at a lower end. A retainer frame (20) is pivotally attached to the canister (12) and has an aperture (98) for inserting a trash bag through the aperture (98) and folding an upper edge of the trash bag over the retainer frame (20). A cover (46) having a hole (64) which aligns with the aperture (98) of the retainer frame (20) is pivotally attached to the canister (12) for allowing the cover (46) to pivot between a closed position covering the opening and an open position. A retainer (30) is affixed to the cover (46) and has a rim (104) that inserts into the aperture (98) of the retainer frame (20) to retain the trash bag. A sliding door (50) is coupled to the cover (46) and is slidable between a closed position and an open position.