Capillary Liquid Venting Structure for Orientation-Independent Leak Prevention
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing liquid supply apparatuses and personal care implements suffer from leakage due to air expansion caused by temperature increases or pressure decreases, leading to unwanted liquid leakage.
Innovation Solution
A liquid supply apparatus with a housing containing a storage cavity and a capillary member that transports liquid via capillary action, combined with a hub component and radial vent passageways that allow air to vent while preventing liquid flow, ensuring leakage protection regardless of orientation or environmental conditions.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If vents are added to allow air expansion, then leakage is prevented, but liquid may flow through the vents
Solution Approach 1:
The vent passageways have different properties at different locations: the first vent passageway allows two-way airflow while the second vent passageway (located at the lowest point) is configured to allow only air passage while blocking liquid. This local differentiation of vent characteristics solves the contradiction by enabling air expansion relief without allowing liquid leakage.
Solution Approach 2:
The liquid barrier acts as an intermediary element within the vent system. It selectively blocks liquid while permitting air to pass through the vent passageways, thereby mediating between the need for air expansion relief and the need to prevent liquid leakage.
2Adaptability or versatility
If the device is used in various orientations, then versatility is improved, but liquid may leak due to gravity affecting air pockets
Solution Approach 1:
The venting system transitions from a single-point vent to a distributed radial vent array arranged in multiple dimensions around the storage cavity. This multi-dimensional arrangement ensures that regardless of the device orientation, at least one vent passageway remains positioned to allow air pocket expansion while preventing liquid leakage.
Solution Approach 2:
The venting function is segmented into multiple radial vent passageways distributed around the storage cavity, with different vents serving different functions (air expansion vs. liquid barrier). This segmentation allows the system to maintain reliability across various orientations by distributing the venting function throughout the structure.
3Use of energy by moving object
If capillary action is used to transport liquid, then no additional energy is needed, but air expansion from temperature or pressure changes causes leakage
Solution Approach 1:
The vent passageways with liquid barriers act as intermediary structures that allow the capillary liquid transport system to coexist with air expansion management. These intermediaries enable air to escape while maintaining the capillary action-driven liquid flow, resolving the leakage issue without compromising energy efficiency.
Solution Approach 2:
The internal cavity is segmented into liquid-filled regions and gas-filled regions by strategic placement of liquid barriers and vent passageways. This segmentation allows independent management of liquid transport (via capillary action) and gas expansion (via vent passageways), preventing leakage while maintaining energy efficiency.
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 solution effectively prevents liquid leakage by allowing air to vent while maintaining liquid flow, ensuring consistent operation across various orientations and environmental conditions.
Implementation Method 1
a capillary member in liquid coupling with the store of the liquid, the capillary member extending through the housing and configured to transport the liquid from the store to an external atmosphere via capillary action
Data Source
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AI summary
A liquid supply apparatus with leakage protection. The apparatus includes a housing defining a storage cavity having a total volume including a liquid portion and a gas portion. The storage cavity extends along a cavity axis. A capillary member is fluidly coupled with the liquid to transport the liquid to the external atmosphere. The apparatus includes a plurality of vents that prevent liquid from flowing therethrough while permitting air to pass therethrough. A hub component is mounted within the storage cavity and it includes a plurality of radial vent passageways extending between the storage cavity and a primary vent passageway, which in turn forms a pathway to the external atmosphere. The vents may be located and arranged such that irrespective of inclination and rotational orientation of the housing relative to a gravitational vector at least one of the vents is in spatial communication with the gas.