Air-Assisted Fluid Stream Severance for High-Viscosity Dispensing
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing pumps face difficulties in dispensing high viscosity or viscoelastic flowable materials, such as toothpaste and honey, as they often form elongate strings due to the high viscosity and particulate matter, making complete severance of the fluid stream challenging.
Innovation Solution
The method involves injecting air into the fluid stream within a discharge passageway to assist in severing the fluid stream by creating an air bubble that collapses, helping to break the connection between the inner and outer stream portions, using a piston pump assembly with a two-piece piston construction that selectively collapses to discharge fluid and air in different strokes.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Manufacturing precision
If air is injected into the fluid stream to sever it, then the fluid stream is effectively broken into distinct portions, but the device complexity increases due to the two-piece piston construction and air injection mechanism
Solution Approach 1:
The piston is divided into two separate pieces: a first piston piece and a second piston piece. This segmentation allows each piece to perform distinct functions - the first piece dispenses fluid while the second piece injects air into the fluid stream to sever it, thereby achieving complete severance without requiring a complex single-piece mechanism
Solution Approach 2:
Air is introduced as an intermediary substance between the fluid stream and the severing action. The air injection creates a gas-liquid interface that facilitates clean separation of the fluid stream into distinct portions, avoiding the need for direct mechanical contact that would increase device complexity
2Reliability
If the discharge passageway is designed to resist upward air flow, then air bubble formation is controlled, but the cross-sectional area must be precisely selected based on fluid viscosity
Solution Approach 1:
The discharge passageway's cross-sectional area is specifically designed and adjusted based on the viscosity characteristics of the fluid being dispensed. This parameter optimization ensures that the passageway provides sufficient resistance to upward air flow while maintaining reliable air bubble formation and fluid dispensing performance
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
This approach effectively breaks the fluid stream into distinct portions, preventing the formation of elongate strings and ensuring complete dispensing of viscous and viscoelastic materials, even when containing particulate matter, by utilizing the sudden collapse of the air bubble to sever the fluid connection.
Implementation Method 1
injecting an allotment of air into the passageway proximate the discharge outlet with the injected allotment of air having a volume sufficient to substantially sever an inner stream portion of the fluid stream
Implementation Method 2
The creation of an air bubble and its subsequent sudden violent discharge can be of substantial assistance in providing for a complete severance of viscous and viscoelastic fluids
Implementation Method 3
fluid stream which passes through the tubular member is drawn downwardly by gravity
Implementation Method 4
fluids having a sufficiently high viscosity to assist in resisting flow of air upwardly within the fluid in the discharge passageway through the inner stream portion
Data Source
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AI summary
Apparatus for dispensing flowable fluids, particularly those which are high viscosity by passing a stream of fluid through an elongate discharge passageway (56) and injecting air into the fluid stream (102) to initiate severing of the stream (102) between an inner portion inward of the injected air and an outer portion outward of the injected air.