Amenity fluid dispensing system
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing fluid dispensing systems for personal care products, such as liquid soap and lotions, often face operational difficulties due to clogging and blockages in manually-actuated pumps caused by viscous fluid deposits, leading to reduced flow and reliability issues.
Innovation Solution
An air-assisted/gravity-feed fluid dispensing system that uses a manually-actuated air pump to pressurize a reservoir, displacing fluid through a dispensing tube with no moving parts, keeping the air pump clean and eliminating the need for cleaning or replacement, and allowing for easy swapping of fluid containers.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If a manually-actuated fluid pump is used to dispense personal care fluids, then the fluid can be pumped and dispensed to the user, but the moving parts and valves become clogged and blocked over time by dried solid or gelatinous accumulations
Solution Approach 1:
The invention extracts the harmful interaction between fluid and pump mechanism by removing the fluid pathway from the pumping mechanism. The air pump only handles air, completely separating the fluid dispensing function from the pumping action, thereby eliminating clogging and deposits on moving parts
Solution Approach 2:
The invention introduces air as an intermediary substance to transfer energy for fluid dispensing. Instead of pumping fluid directly, the system pumps air into the reservoir, and this pressurized air acts as a mediator to force the fluid out through the dispensing tube, preventing direct contact between the pump and viscous fluid
2Ease of operation
If fluid is pumped directly through the pump mechanism from the reservoir, then dispensing is achieved, but the pump requires periodic cleaning and eventual replacement
Solution Approach 1:
The invention extracts the maintenance burden by separating the air pump from the fluid pathway. Since only air passes through the pump mechanism, there are no fluid deposits to clean, eliminating the need for periodic disassembly, cleaning, and eventual replacement of the pump components
Solution Approach 2:
The invention makes the fluid container disposable while keeping the air pump permanent and maintenance-free. The container can be quickly removed and replaced when empty, while the air pump mechanism remains clean and functional indefinitely, effectively transferring the maintenance burden from the pump to the container
3Productivity
If replaceable fluid containers are used in the dispenser, then quick container replacement is enabled, but the container interior requires periodic cleaning to maintain hygiene
Solution Approach 1:
The invention extracts the hygiene maintenance requirement by designing the container to be completely sealed during storage and transport. The container only opens at the dispensing point where air is pumped in, and the fluid is forced out through a tube, preventing contamination of the container interior and eliminating the need for cleaning between uses
Solution Approach 2:
The invention treats the fluid container as a disposable item that is replaced rather than cleaned. The sealed design maintains hygiene throughout the container's life, and when empty, the entire container is discarded and replaced with a new one, ensuring continuous hygiene without cleaning requirements
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 system ensures reliable and clog-free dispensing of personal care fluids by using air to pressurize the reservoir, maintaining the air pump's cleanliness and facilitating quick container replacement, particularly beneficial in hospitality settings for efficient cleaning and hygiene.
Implementation Method 1
The air pump is configured and operable to pump air directly into a fluid reservoir. The air pump pressurizes the reservoir to force and dispense the fluid outwards through a mechanically simple outlet
Implementation Method 2
Gravity assists with dispensing the fluid in a generally vertical and downward direction in conjunction with pressurized air which displaces the fluid
Data Source
AI summary
An air-assisted, gravity feed amenity fluid dispensing system suitable for use with personal care fluids. The system may be embodied in a fluid dispenser including a support structure attachable to a support surface such as a wall and an openable canister supported by the support structure. The canister defines an internal cavity configured for inserting a recyclable container pre-packaged with the personal care fluid, and a fluid dispensing mechanism including an air pump configured to pressurize and dispense the fluid from the container through a dispensing hole in the canister. The air pump may be manually-operated in one embodiment to pump air into the container and dispense fluid each time a user depresses an actuator button. The personal care fluid may alternatively be filled directly into the canister without use of an insertable fluid container. Plural canisters each containing different fluids may be supported by the support structure.