Bottle Cap Adapter Inversion for Viscous Liquid Supply
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current systems for supplying viscous liquids, such as photoresist, face issues with waste due to dip tube inefficiencies, air bubble entrapment, and costly packaging, and existing solutions are either bulky or unsuitable for higher viscosity materials.
Innovation Solution
A bottle cap adapter and supply system that inverts the bottle to utilize gravity for liquid supply, eliminating air bubbles and incorporating a reservoir for continuous flow and level sensing, allowing for efficient use of nearly 100% of the liquid with minimal waste and reduced system footprint.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Productivity
If a dip tube is used to draw liquid out of the bottle, then the liquid can be supplied to the process, but a small percentage of the liquid in the bottom is wasted
Solution Approach 1:
The bottle is inverted (turned upside down) so that the liquid flows out through gravity rather than being drawn up by a dip tube. This inversion allows the liquid to flow from the bottom of the bottle (which becomes the top when inverted) through the dispensing system, enabling nearly 100% of the liquid to be used without leaving residue in the bottom of the bottle.
2Productivity
If a dip tube is used to draw liquid out of the bottle, then the liquid can be supplied, but air bubbles can be trapped at the bottom of the tube which may then be transported in the process lines
Solution Approach 1:
By inverting the bottle, the liquid flows downward through the dispensing system under gravity, preventing air bubbles from being trapped and drawn into the process lines. The inverted configuration allows air to naturally rise away from the liquid flow path, eliminating the bubble entrapment issue that occurs with upward-flow dip tube systems.
3Ease of operation
If an inverted bottle system is used, then the system can supply liquid by gravity, but the system is rather bulky and may need more space in an existing tool
Solution Approach 1:
The inverted bottle is nested within or integrated into the existing tool structure, with the bottle positioned to utilize vertical space rather than horizontal space. The dispensing system components are arranged compactly around the inverted bottle, allowing the gravity-fed system to be incorporated into the existing tool footprint without requiring additional floor space or significantly increasing the tool size.
4Ease of operation
If an inverted bottle system is used, then gravity can supply the liquid, but the system may not function well with higher viscosity materials without modifications
Solution Approach 1:
The system incorporates adjustable components that allow modification of the dispensing parameters such as flow rate, pressure, and temperature. These dynamic adjustments enable the system to accommodate liquids of varying viscosities by optimizing the gravity-fed flow characteristics and providing additional control mechanisms for higher viscosity materials.
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 effectively minimizes waste and reduces production costs by using gravity-fed, nearly 100% of the liquid, and is adaptable to various bottle types and viscosities, while providing precise level indication and bubble purging, making it cost-effective and space-efficient.
Implementation Method 1
Instead of the photoresist being pumped from the bottle, the bottle is inverted, i.e. to turn the bottle upside down. With this arrangement, the photoresist is supplied by means of gravity rather than using a pump
Data Source
AI summary
A bottle cap adapter for supplying liquids, particularly viscous liquids, comprising: a body part; and a vent tube comprising a first opening and a second opening, the first opening being configured to be put inside a bottle in the vicinity of the bottom of the bottle, wherein the body part further comprises a first surface and a second surface, the first surface being perpendicular to the vent tube and the second surface being parallel to or tilted to the first surface, e.g., by an angle of 0° to 40°, wherein the body part further comprises a channel from the first surface to the second surface, wherein at least one part of the channel comprises a connector extending to the second surface, the connector being complementary to a connector of the bottle, wherein the body part is further configured to be coupled to a bottle supply system, and wherein the vent tube is at least partially located in the channel of the body part. Also a bottle supply system for supplying liquids, particularly viscous liquids, comprising: a top part configured to house a bottle cap adapter; a bottom part comprising a reservoir configured to receive an amount of liquid from a bottle inserted in the bottle cap adapter and comprising a pressure sensor configured to measure a fluid level in the bottle; and an output connected to the reservoir.