Adjustable Dosing Closure With Spring-Loaded Piston
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing dosing dispensing closures for containers lack user-adjustable features and are often complex and costly, with limited functionality in dispensing varying doses of fluid compositions, especially for viscous liquids.
Innovation Solution
A dosing dispensing closure with a compression element that provides a high and predictable restoring force, allowing user-adjustable dispensing through the relative positioning of the body cap and control cap, which changes the flow orifice size, enabling control over the dose amount without disassembly.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Measurement precision
If prior art dosing dispensing closures are used, then a predetermined dose can be dispensed, but the closure structure becomes particularly complicated and costly with multiple discrete parts requiring tight tolerances and specific assembly configurations
Solution Approach 1:
The patent combines multiple discrete parts into a single integrated closure body with an internal piston mechanism. The closure integrates the dosing chamber, piston, spring, and dispensing orifice into one unified structure, eliminating the need for multiple separately assembled components while maintaining precise dosing functionality.
Solution Approach 2:
The closure is designed to provide multiple functions within a single device: it serves as both a sealing closure and a dosing pump mechanism. The integrated design performs sealing, dosing, and dispensing functions simultaneously, reducing overall system complexity while maintaining measurement precision.
2Measurement precision
If prior art dosing dispensing closures are used, then a predetermined dose can be dispensed, but user control over dosage amount is not provided
Solution Approach 1:
The closure incorporates an adjustable orifice mechanism that allows the user to dynamically change the dispensing characteristics by rotating the control cap. This adjusts the flow restriction and enables variable dosage control while maintaining repeatable dosing through the spring-biased piston mechanism.
Solution Approach 2:
The closure allows users to change the dosing parameters by rotating the control cap to different positions, which adjusts the orifice opening size. This enables the same closure to deliver different dosage amounts (e.g., full dose, half dose) while maintaining precision through the mechanical feedback of the spring-loaded piston.
3Adaptability or versatility
If a compression element with high restoring force is used, then user-adjustable dispensing is enabled, but the closure requires more complex internal mechanisms
Solution Approach 1:
The piston and spring mechanism are nested within the closure body cavity. The piston moves within the internal chamber, and the spring is contained within the same space, creating a compact nested arrangement that provides adjustable functionality without adding external complexity.
Solution Approach 2:
The spring-loaded piston automatically returns to its initial position after dispensing, and the control cap rotation self-adjusts the orifice position. The mechanism uses the pressure differential and spring force to automatically reset without requiring user intervention, simplifying the control interface.
4Ease of operation
If the closure allows dosage adjustment without disassembly, then ease of operation is improved, but the sealing reliability between moving parts becomes more challenging
Solution Approach 1:
The closure uses elastomeric sealing elements and flexible membranes at the orifice and between moving parts. These flexible materials maintain reliable seals while accommodating the rotational movement of the control cap and the linear movement of the piston, ensuring leak-free operation during adjustment.
Solution Approach 2:
The closure employs composite construction with different materials optimized for specific functions: rigid components for structural integrity, elastomeric materials for sealing, and friction-resistant surfaces for the piston and orifice interfaces. This material selection ensures both adjustability and sealing reliability.
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
Enables precise and repeatable dispensing of fluid compositions with varying viscosities, allowing users to adjust the dose amount easily and effectively, improving usability and reducing complexity and cost.
Implementation Method 1
a compression element, such as a spring, which is interposed between the piston and the open end of the cylindrical part, so as to urge the piston towards the closed end of the cylindrical part
Implementation Method 2
Upon compression of the pressurized fluid composition contained within the container, a part of said pressurized fluid composition is forced to move via said closure
Data Source
Figure 1A
Figure 1B
Figure 2A
AI summary
A dosing dispensing closure for a squeezable container. The closure has a body cap (20) with inlet orifices (37) and a transit orifice (34) which allows composition into the body cap. A piston (80) is provided within the body cap (20). When the container is squeezed, the piston (80) is forced down, thereby expelling liquid from a control cap (40) until the piston (80) lands on the end of a duct 60 in the control cap (40) to prevent further dispensing. When the squeezing force is removed, the piston (80) returns to its start position. The piston 80 is biased towards the end wall (33) of the body cap (20) by a compression element (87). The body cap (20) is attached directly to the container such that rotation of the body cap allows adjustment of the dosage without having to remove the body cap.