Air-Assisted Piston Pump Dispensing for Partial Stroke Operation
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing piston pumps fail to effectively dispense high-viscosity flowable materials like hand creams and toothpastes due to inadequate air severance, as they require a full stroke to inject air, which is not operational during partial strokes.
Innovation Solution
A piston pump design that separates the liquid and air pumping cycles, allowing air to be injected during a different stroke than liquid discharge, ensuring complete fluid expulsion even during partial strokes by using a piston-forming element and piston chamber-forming member with transfer ports and valving arrangements.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If air is injected into the passageway to sever the fluid stream, then complete fluid expulsion from the passageway is achieved, but the pump requires a full stroke operation which reduces adaptability for partial stroke cycling
Solution Approach 1:
The pump system is segmented into two independent pumping cycles: a liquid pump cycle and an air pump cycle. The liquid pump discharges fluid during its discharge stroke, while the air pump operates independently to inject air into the passageway during the same stroke phase. This segmentation allows the air severance function to operate independently of the liquid pump's stroke position, enabling partial stroke operation while maintaining complete fluid expulsion capability.
2Reliability
If the piston is moved through a full stroke to enable air injection, then adequate air severance is achieved, but operational flexibility is reduced when partial strokes are required
Solution Approach 1:
The air pump is configured to draw air from the atmosphere during the liquid pump's discharge stroke and store it in an air chamber, preparing the air for injection before the liquid pump's discharge stroke begins. This preliminary action ensures that air is ready for immediate injection during the charge stroke, enabling effective air severance even when the liquid pump operates through only a partial stroke.
3Device complexity
If a single pump system is used for both liquid discharge and air injection, then device complexity is reduced, but the pumps fail to provide adequate air severance during partial strokes
Solution Approach 1:
The system is divided into two distinct pump mechanisms: a liquid pump with a liquid discharge passageway and an air pump with an air discharge passageway. The air pump includes an air chamber, air inlet, and air discharge passageway that communicates with the liquid discharge passageway. This segmentation allows each pump to be optimized for its specific function and enables independent operation, ensuring reliable air severance during partial strokes while maintaining manageable overall system complexity.
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 efficient dispensing of high-viscosity fluids by ensuring air is used to displace fluid from the passageway during the discharge stroke, preventing fluid residue and improving operational efficiency even during partial piston movements.
Implementation Method 1
discharge air into the passageway to displace the fluid from the passageway through the outlet
Data Source
AI summary
A method and apparatus for dispensing flowable fluids by dispensing the flowable fluid through a passageway leading to a discharge outlet in one stroke of a piston pump and, in a second opposite stroke of the piston pump, discharging air into the passageway to displace the fluid from the passageway through the outlet.