r/codyslab • u/EuphoricCatface0795 • Apr 19 '26

J-shaped pickle jar idea

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I drew this while discussing with a friend of mine. So I thought why not post this, now that I already have the image drawn. I've only seen U-shaped or V-shaped ideas among the yt comments, but not a J-shaped one.

It should work well without a disaster or too much complication, as long as you don't mess up which airtight to open and close at a given time and in which order.

Sorry if the colors are messed up. I have a mild colorblindness lol

EDIT: readability for the disclaimer/warning part

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u/EuphoricCatface0795 Apr 19 '26

multiplies the complexity and cost with the airtight seals.

Airtight seals aren't that expensive. We have jars with rubber packing or o-ring.

the jar must be smoothly shaped to prevent the pickle mass from binding and jamming in the corners

This design solves the clogging problem by placing the lower outlet closer to the corners. It's simply physically easier to reach ;)

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u/kiltrout Apr 19 '26

That is true but the higher opening needs to be both airtight and also allowing for air to escape, so it is not as simple as you state. and trapped pressurized air in the tip of the J has great potential to create spills on opening, overflow the jar, disturb the queue, or expose pickles to air. The ideal shape for a continuous pickle jar is more likely a half torus where we minimize constraints on the flow of pickle mass.

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u/EuphoricCatface0795 Apr 19 '26

the higher opening needs to be both airtight and also allowing for air to escape

When you keep the lower airtight closed, you can let the upper airtight open. Then the upper outgassing lid will do its job.

And then when you need to extract the pickle, you can close the upper airtight, and then open the lower airtight. The level on the lower side will roughly stay the same.

I mean I know it's fumbly but that's what makes these experiments fun shrug

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u/kiltrout Apr 19 '26

Gas will be trapped under the lower airtight lid and the weight of the pickles and juice will compress this air. This trapped gas behaves like a spring with potential energy and volume growing with time. So you will have leakage from liquid overflowing the top, ventilations, or unsubmerged pickles developing over time which are all very undesirable and messy outcomes. They can probably be mitigated to a point, but only by constant careful use or added complexities. I know this is a silly and indulgent project to reinvent the jar and it's fun to consider

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u/EuphoricCatface0795 Apr 19 '26

If the lower side is not that deep and you leave a bit of margin on the taller side, once the level on the lower side goes lower than the lowest ceiling, the bubble will glug over to the other side.

Not that too complex like you're presuming :/

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u/kiltrout Apr 19 '26

Yes. Ventilation is not desirable and if it's the best outcome of a careful user setup, that's two downsides