Airless Dispensing Pump with Suck-Back Valve for Viscous Fluids
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional airless dispensing pumps face challenges in efficiently pumping viscous fluids due to difficulties in priming and the inability to evacuate entire contents, often resulting in incomplete dispensing and contamination issues, especially with pharmaceutical products that need to avoid metal contact.
Innovation Solution
The airless dispenser pump assembly features a piston mechanism with a unique inlet valve design that includes an outer support member and inner seal member connected by legs for rapid sealing and large flow apertures, minimizing metal contact and incorporating a suck-back feature to prevent fluid residue at the outlet, ensuring efficient priming and complete dispensing of viscous fluids.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Productivity
If conventional suction pipe design is used, then the pump can be simple in structure, but the ability to evacuate entire contents of the container is poor for viscous products
Solution Approach 1:
The pump mechanism uses a dynamic piston system that moves reciprocally within the pump cavity, creating varying pressure zones that effectively draw viscous products through the valve assembly and into the container, enabling complete evacuation of contents
Solution Approach 2:
The valve assembly is segmented into separate inlet and outlet valves with distinct functions, allowing optimized flow paths for viscous products while maintaining a relatively simple overall pump structure
2Productivity
If valves provide large flow openings for viscous products, then fluid flow is improved, but the valves cannot close rapidly to ensure efficient pumping
Solution Approach 1:
The valve assembly is divided into separate inlet and outlet valves, each optimized for its specific function. The inlet valve provides a large flow opening for viscous products while the outlet valve is designed for rapid closing, allowing each component to excel at its primary task without compromise
Solution Approach 2:
Different parts of the valve system have different structural characteristics - the inlet valve opening is large to accommodate viscous flow, while the outlet valve incorporates features for rapid closure, creating local optimization throughout the flow path
3Strength
If metallic components are used in the pump mechanism, then structural strength is improved, but product contamination occurs with pharmaceuticals
Solution Approach 1:
The pump mechanism employs composite material construction, using metal components only where structural strength is critical and non-metallic materials (such as medical-grade polymers) for components that contact pharmaceutical products, thereby maintaining strength while preventing contamination
Solution Approach 2:
Metallic components are extracted from the product-contact portions of the pump mechanism and replaced with non-metallic alternatives, while metal is retained in structural support elements where it provides necessary strength without contacting the pharmaceutical product
4Productivity
If product remains at the outlet of the dispensing head, then dispensing efficiency is maintained, but the product dries or hardens creating unsightly appearance and clogging
Solution Approach 1:
The pump mechanism maintains continuous operation by ensuring product flows through the entire system including back through the outlet valve, preventing product accumulation and drying at the dispensing head while maintaining efficient dispensing throughout the product lifecycle
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
The solution enables efficient priming and complete dispensing of viscous fluids while minimizing contamination and residue, improving the overall performance and appearance of the dispensing process by ensuring nearly 100% of the product is used and reducing the risk of metal contact.
Implementation Method 1
to form a vacuum in the pump cavity during an intake stroke of the piston
Data Source
AI summary
An airless dispenser pump assembly includes a pump mechanism with an inlet valve that is configured to efficiently pump viscous fluids and that is able to be pre-primed when the pump mechanism is attached to a container. In one form, the inlet valve includes a seal member that seals an inlet port of the pump and an outer support member that secures the inlet valve to the rest of the pump mechanism. Two or more legs generally extend in a circumferential direction between the support member and the seal member in order to create a large flow opening for fluid flow through the inlet valve when opened and to rapidly close the inlet valve. The pump mechanism further includes an outlet valve that is configured to draw fluid back from a nozzle of the pump after dispensing in order to minimize build up around the nozzle.