Alcoholic-Solution Foam Dispenser With Open-Cell Foam Body

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Solution Overview

Problem

Existing foam dispensers for alcoholic solutions are complex, costly, and difficult to manufacture due to their delicate components, making it challenging to effectively foam alcohol-based products.

Innovation Solution

A hand-operated foam dispenser with a flexible plastic bottle, a foam-generating device in the closure cap, and a riser tube, utilizing open-cell foam bodies and a chamber with air and liquid inlets to manually create foam using a simple, cost-effective design.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Reliability

If a foaming device is used to foam alcohol-based products, then foam is created when liquid and air mix, but the dispensing systems consist of numerous delicate components making them complex to manufacture and expensive

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvefoam creation capabilityVSAvoidnumber of delicate components
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The foam-generating device is segmented into distinct functional components: a chamber for liquid-air mixing, separate inlets for controlled fluid entry, and an open-cell foam body for foam generation. This segmentation allows each component to be optimized independently while simplifying manufacturing

Inventive Principle:
Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

An open-cell foam body is used as the core foaming element, which naturally creates foam through its porous structure when liquid and air pass through it. This eliminates the need for complex mechanical foaming mechanisms, reducing component count while maintaining reliable foam creation

Inventive Principle:
Principle #31Porous materials

2Reliability

If existing foam dispensers are used for alcoholic solutions, then foam can be generated, but they are costly and difficult to manufacture

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvefoam generation for alcoholic solutionsVSAvoidmanufacturing cost and difficulty
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSEase of manufacture

Solution Approach 1:

The foam-generating device is merged with the closure cap, integrating two functions (foam generation and bottle closure) into a single component. This reduces the total number of parts, simplifies assembly, and lowers manufacturing costs while maintaining effective foam generation for alcoholic solutions

Inventive Principle:
Principle #5Merging (Combining)

Solution Approach 2:

The open-cell foam body automatically generates foam when liquid and air pass through its porous structure, without requiring external power sources, control systems, or complex mechanisms. This self-service foaming action significantly reduces manufacturing complexity and cost

Inventive Principle:
Principle #25Self-service

3Ease of manufacture

If a simple hand-operated design is used, then manufacturing cost is reduced, but foaming of alcoholic solutions becomes more challenging

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvemanufacturing costVSAvoidfoaming capability
Core Design Contradiction:
Ease of manufactureVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

The device uses pneumatic principles by introducing air through a dedicated air inlet into the chamber where liquid is present. The manual squeezing action creates pressure differential that drives liquid and air through the foam body, enabling reliable foam generation without complex mechanical or electrical systems

Inventive Principle:
Principle #29Pneumatics and hydraulics

Solution Approach 2:

The open-cell foam body parameters (porosity, cell size, material properties) are optimized to work specifically with alcoholic solutions. The chamber geometry and inlet configurations are adjusted to create appropriate flow patterns that enhance foam generation efficiency, allowing simple hand operation to produce reliable foam

Inventive Principle:
Principle #35Parameter changes

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 foaming of alcoholic solutions with a compact, affordable dispenser that can be used both upside down and upright, ensuring stable foam production with ease of handling and reduced material costs.

Implementation Method 1

The foam generating device has a chamber with at least one wall, at least one inlet for air in a wall of the chamber and at least one inlet for liquid in a wall of the chamber, and at least one foam body arranged in the chamber

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectPorous material flow mixing: Porosity

Implementation Method 2

a plastic bottle made of a flexible plastic with a bottle opening

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectManual compression: Compression

Implementation Method 3

a riser tube which is arranged inside the bottle and is connected to an inlet

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectPressure-driven flow: Pressure Gradient

Data Source

PatentEP4201530B1Foam dispenser for alcoholic solutions
Publication Date: 2025.10.15 BODE CHEMIE
  • EP4201530B1 patent drawingFigure 1
  • EP4201530B1 patent drawingFigure 2
  • EP4201530B1 patent drawingFigure 3~4

AI summary

The invention relates to a foam dispenser (1). This comprises a plastic bottle (2) made of a flexible plastic with a bottle opening, a cap (3) that closes the bottle opening and has a dispensing opening (4) for foam, a foaming device for foaming a solution, comprising a chamber (5) with at least one wall (6), at least one inlet (7) for air in one wall of the chamber and at least one inlet (8) for liquid in one wall of the chamber, and at least one foam body (9) arranged in the chamber, wherein the foaming device is arranged in or connected to the cap (3), and a riser tube (10) arranged inside the bottle and connected to an inlet.