All-plastic lotion pump
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing lotion pumps with metal springs require separate recycling, leading to high costs and environmental impact, and plastic alternatives with integrated elastic members complicate production and assembly.
Innovation Solution
An all-plastic lotion pump design featuring an elastic member that is integrally formed with the connecting rod, actuator, or container cap, using a single plastic material to reduce components and simplify assembly, allowing for complete recycling.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If a metal spring is used in the lotion pump, then the pump can provide reliable elastic force for the connecting rod to move upwards, but the metal spring requires separate detachment and recycling, resulting in high recycling costs and environmental impact
Solution Approach 1:
The patent merges the elastic member with the container cap or other components to form an integral structure. The elastic member is molded as a single piece with the container cap, eliminating the need for separate metal spring recycling and reducing manufacturing complexity while maintaining the elastic force function.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent changes the material parameter from metal to plastic for the elastic member. This material substitution allows the elastic member to be integrally formed with plastic components, enabling complete recycling of the pump assembly without separating metal parts, while still providing the required elastic force through plastic deformation.
2Ease of manufacture
If an all-plastic pump with an integrated elastic member is used to replace the metal spring, then the recycling cost is reduced and environmental impact is minimized, but the arrangement of the elastic member requires addition of a mold and increases production cost, and mounting becomes inconvenient
Solution Approach 1:
The elastic member is merged with the container cap or other existing components to form an integral structure. This merging eliminates the need for separate molds for the elastic member and reduces the total number of molds required, simplifying the manufacturing process while enabling complete recycling.
Solution Approach 2:
The container cap or existing component is given multiple functions: it serves as both the structural component and the elastic member. This multi-functionality reduces the need for additional dedicated elastic components and their associated molds, simplifying manufacturing while maintaining the elastic reset function.
3Device complexity
If the elastic member is integrally provided with the container cap or connecting rod, then the number of components is reduced and mounting is simplified, but the elastic member structure becomes more complex requiring spiral elastic strips
Solution Approach 1:
The elastic member is merged with the container cap or connecting rod as an integral structure. Although the internal structure involves spiral elastic strips, the merging eliminates the need for separate assembly of multiple components, simplifying the overall device complexity and mounting process while the spiral structure is formed in a single molding operation.
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
Reduces production costs, minimizes environmental pollution, and facilitates easy recycling of the lotion pump by integrating components made of the same plastic material.
Implementation Method 1
an elastic member for providing an action force required for the connecting rod and the actuator to move upwards to be away from the container cap, the elastic member and one of the actuator, the connecting rod, the matching member, and the container cap are integrally provided, the elastic member at least includes a first ring portion capable of sleeving a periphery of an outer side of the connecting rod in a sliding fit manner and a body portion capable of elastically stretching in an up-down direction
Data Source
AI summary
Disclosed is an all-plastic lotion pump, comprising a container cap and a pump core assembly provided on the container cap. The pump core assembly at least comprises a connecting rod capable of moving up and down relative to the axial direction of the container cap, an actuator fixedly provided at the top of the connecting rod, a pump body fixedly provided on the container cap in a matching manner, and a matching member fixedly provided on the pump body in a matching manner. The lotion pump further comprises an elastic member for providing an action force required for the connecting rod and the actuator to move upwards to be away from the container cap. The elastic member and one of the actuator, the connecting rod, the matching member, and the container cap are integrally provided.