Buffered Piston Pump for Consistent Spray Discharge Control
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Solution Overview
Problem
Manually actuated pump driven sprayers lack adequate control over liquid discharge when employing short intermittent incomplete down strokes and long continuous complete down strokes, leading to variable particle size distribution, velocity, cone angle, and actuation force, and often result in unexpected liquid discharge after the pump is stopped.
Innovation Solution
A pump design incorporating a liquid accumulator within the piston cavity, which allows for controlled liquid accumulation and release based on pressure changes, ensuring consistent discharge regardless of stroke type.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Measurement precision
If a peristaltic pump is used to accurately meter viscous fluids, then metering accuracy is improved, but the pump becomes clogged and must be frequently replaced
Solution Approach 1:
The pump system is divided into two separate pumps: a first peristaltic pump that maintains high metering accuracy for precise dosing, and a second pump that handles clogging and replacement tasks. This segmentation allows each pump to specialize in one function, resolving the contradiction between accuracy and reliability.
Solution Approach 2:
A buffer reservoir is introduced as an intermediary component between the pumps and the fluid delivery system. The buffer accumulates fluid from the first pump and supplies it to the second pump, decoupling the operational issues of pump clogging from the precision requirements of metering.
2Measurement precision
If syringes are used to deliver fluids, then accurate metering is achieved, but the system lacks flexibility for different fluid volumes and requires manual refilling
Solution Approach 1:
The system transitions from static syringes with fixed volumes to dynamic peristaltic pumps that can be programmatically controlled. The pumps can adjust their pumping rates and operate continuously, providing both accuracy and flexibility for different fluid volumes without manual intervention.
Solution Approach 2:
The dual-pump system with buffer enables automatic operation where the first pump continuously feeds the buffer, which in turn feeds the second pump. This self-service mechanism eliminates the need for manual refilling and allows the system to adapt to different volume requirements through programmable control.
3Device complexity
If a single pump is used for both accuracy and continuous operation, then device simplicity is maintained, but the pump must be oversized leading to increased complexity and cost
Solution Approach 1:
Instead of using one oversized pump that must handle both precision metering and continuous operation, the system segments the function into two smaller specialized pumps. This reduces the complexity and cost of each individual pump while achieving the reliability of continuous operation through the coordinated system.
Solution Approach 2:
The system adds the temporal dimension of continuous operation by using a buffer reservoir that decouples the pumping cycles from the delivery cycles. This allows the pumps to operate continuously at optimized rates while the buffer smooths out the delivery to maintain accuracy, solving the contradiction without oversizing the pumps.
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
Provides users with precise control over liquid discharge, maintaining consistent particle size distribution, velocity, and cone angle, and reduces unexpected liquid discharge after the pump is actuated.
Implementation Method 1
peristaltic pump that accurately meters a fluid
Data Source
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AI summary
A pump including an inlet one-way valve; a pump chamber downstream of and in fluid communication with the inlet one-way valve; a piston slideably engaged with the pump chamber; a piston cavity within the piston and in fluid communication with the pump chamber; a liquid accumulator operable within the piston cavity; an actuator engaged with piston; and an outlet one-way valve downstream of and in fluid communication with the pump chamber.