Flexible lid seal integrity sensor

A flexible lid seal detection system, comprising:

• a flexible lid seal detector comprising:
• a cylindrical compression body having a longitudinal axis, comprising:
• a longitudinal central cavity;
• a sensor disposed within the longitudinal central cavity;
• a planar distal end comprising:
• a distal surface;
• an outer-most compression ring protruding from the planar distal end, and comprising a first outer shaping rim and a first inner shaping rim;
• an inner compression ring concentric to the outer-most compression ring, protruding from the planar distal end, and comprising a second outer shaping rim and a second inner shaping rim,
• wherein the outer-most compression ring extends distally from the planar distal end, and the inner compression ring extends distally from the planar distal end in an amount less than the outer-most compression ring;
• and
• a recessed lid deflection volume defined by the first inner shaping rim and the distal surface
• a translation device configured to controllably raise or lower the compression body;
• and
• a control device comprising:
• a processor;
• and
• a memory component to store instructions that, when executed by the processor, cause the processor to:
• cause the translation device to lower the compression body until the outer-most compression ring or the inner compression ring contacts a first portion of an outer surface of a flexible lid under test;
• cause the translation device to further lower the compression body until the outer-most compression ring or the inner compression ring applies a predetermined compressive force to the portion of the outer surface of the flexible lid, thereby deforming a second portion of the outer surface of the flexible lid to enter the lid deflection volume;
• receive, from the sensor, data characterizing the second portion of the outer surface of the flexible lid;
• calculate, based on the data, one or more parameters related to a quality of a seal between the flexible lid and a container attached thereto;
• and
• determine, based on the one or more parameters, the quality of the seal between the flexible lid and the container attached thereto.

A method for determining a quality of a seal between a flexible lid and a container attached thereto, the method comprising:

• contacting a first portion of an outer surface of the flexible lid with a distal end of a flexible lid seal detector comprising:
• a longitudinal central cavity;
• a sensor disposed within the longitudinal central cavity;
• a planar distal end comprising:
• a distal surface;
• an outer-most compression ring protruding from the planar distal end and comprising a first outer shaping rim and a first inner shaping rim;
• an inner compression ring concentric to the outer-most compression ring, protruding from the planar distal end, and comprising a second outer shaping rim and a second inner shaping rim,
• wherein the outer-most compression ring extends distally from the planar distal end, and the inner compression ring extends distally from the planar distal end in an amount less than the outer-most compression ring;
• and
• a recessed lid deflection volume defined by the first inner shaping rim and the distal surface;
• applying a compressive force by the planar distal end of the flexible lid seal detector to the first portion of the outer surface of the flexible lid, thereby causing a first portion of a headspace gas within the container to move into a lid shape volume within the container and a second portion of the headspace gas to move into a seal stress volume,
• wherein the first portion of the headspace gas in the lid shape volume causes a second portion of the flexible lid to deform into the recessed lid deflection volume, and
• wherein the second portion of the headspace gas in the seal stress volume applies a stress to the seal between the flexible lid and the container attached thereto;
• receiving, by a processor for a predetermined period of time, data from the sensor characterizing the second portion of the outer surface of the flexible lid;
• calculating, by the processor, one or more parameters related to a quality of the seal between the flexible lid and a container attached thereto based on the data from the sensor;
• and
• determining, by the processor, the quality of the seal between the flexible lid and the container attached thereto based on the one or more parameters.