Collapsible Bellows Inner Bag for Complete Liquid Emptying

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Solution Overview

Problem

Existing storage containers for liquids and viscous or sprayable products face issues with tilting, leakage, and incomplete emptying due to the design of flying pistons, leading to potential loss of product.

Innovation Solution

A cylindrical storage container with a collapsible inner bag formed by a bellows that can be folded axially, featuring a contact device to stabilize the bag and ensure complete emptying, along with a pressure equalization system to prevent leaks and support the movement of the bag during emptying.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Measurement precision

If a flying piston is used to regulate liquid removal, then dosing control is achieved, but the piston may tilt and leak, preventing complete emptying and causing product loss

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvedosing controlVSAvoidleak prevention
Core Design Contradiction:
Measurement precisionVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

The system is divided into an outer reservoir and an inner collapsible bag, allowing the inner bag to collapse completely during emptying while the outer reservoir maintains structural integrity. This segmentation eliminates the tilting and leakage problems of single-wall designs.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

The inner collapsible bag is nested within the outer reservoir, with the inner bag contracting into itself during emptying. This nested structure allows complete emptying without the instability issues of flying pistons while maintaining dosing control.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #7Nested doll (Nesting)

2Productivity

If a balloon-like inner bag without pre-folds is used, then the bag can collapse during emptying, but viscous or heavy products cannot be reliably emptied due to insufficient bellows stability

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveemptying completenessVSAvoidbellows stability
Core Design Contradiction:
ProductivityVSStability of the object's composition

Solution Approach 1:

The bellows is pre-formed with axial folds during manufacturing, creating a stable collapsed state before use. This preliminary structuring enables reliable emptying of viscous products by providing inherent stability to the collapsing structure.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #10Preliminary action

Solution Approach 2:

The bellows is constructed as a flexible thin-walled structure with pre-formed axial folds, allowing it to collapse completely during emptying while maintaining sufficient stability to handle viscous and heavy products without requiring rigid support structures.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #30Flexible shells and thin films

3Device complexity

If a single-wall reservoir is used, then the structure is simple, but the tightness and protection against leakage are insufficient

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvereservoir structureVSAvoidtightness
Core Design Contradiction:
Device complexityVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

The inner collapsible bag is nested within the outer reservoir, creating a double-wall structure that provides enhanced tightness and leakage protection. The outer reservoir maintains structural integrity while the inner bag contains the product, ensuring high reliability.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #7Nested doll (Nesting)

Solution Approach 2:

The double-wall structure with outer reservoir and inner bag provides beforehand protection against leakage and contamination. This redundant barrier system ensures high tightness and reliability before any potential failure occurs.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #11Beforehand cushioning (Prior cushioning)

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 design allows for complete and reliable emptying of the container, providing double protection against leakage and ensuring the stability of viscous products, while minimizing material usage and maintaining high tightness.

Implementation Method 1

a base with a pressure equalization device

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectPressure equalization: Pascal's Law

Implementation Method 2

An inner bag that can be collapsed by suction is arranged in the reservoir

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectSuction: Suction

Data Source

PatentEP2251093B1Storage container and use of same
Publication Date: 2018.09.05 F HOLZER GMBH
  • EP2251093B1 patent drawingFigure 1a~1c
  • EP2251093B1 patent drawingFigure 2a~2b
  • EP2251093B1 patent drawingFigure 3a~3b

AI summary

The storage container (1) has a bottom (6) with pressure balancing devices (7) and an opened side, and a connecting area (2) provided at the opened side of the bottom. An inner bag provided in the container is foldable by suction force, where the container is cylindrical shaped. The inner bag is balloon shaped or formed by bellows (9) that are foldable in an axial direction. A contact device is arranged at folds (11) and/or a base (13) of the bellows and contacts an inner wall of the container, where the contact device is formed as a brake device.