Closure Device Additive Firing Mechanism
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing closure devices for containers are complex to manufacture and prone to incorrect threaded connection sequences, leading to improper firing of additive liquids, as they require separate housing and cap members with a larger diameter due to a housing flange, which can result in the device being removed without firing the additive.
Innovation Solution
A closure device with a cap member and plug member housing that moves between closed and open positions, using a screwing action to overcome pressurized fluid resistance, allowing the additive to be fired into the container through a nozzle, with detent members ensuring proper alignment and sealing, and a fluid chamber that extends above or within the container neck for efficient additive delivery.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of manufacture
If a housing flange is used to connect the cap and housing members, then the closure can be assembled, but the closure diameter increases and manufacturing complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The cap member and housing member are merged into a single integral closure structure with a unified body. This eliminates the need for separate housing and cap members connected by a flange, thereby reducing manufacturing complexity and device complexity while maintaining the sealing and connection functions.
Solution Approach 2:
The integral closure body performs multiple functions: it provides the sealing surface, the connection interface with the container, and the structural housing for the plunger mechanism. This multi-functionality eliminates the need for separate components and reduces overall device complexity.
2Ease of operation
If the cap member is raised relative to the plug member by unscrewing, then the additive can be fired, but the threaded connection sequence becomes critical and may fail to fire
Solution Approach 1:
The closure is pre-assembled in a closed position where the plunger is held against the seal by the initial threaded connection. The firing action is then triggered by a subsequent unscrewing motion, ensuring the sequence is predetermined and reliable without requiring the user to manage multiple connection sequences.
Solution Approach 2:
The closure transitions from a static closed position to a dynamic firing position through controlled unscrewing. The plunger is held in place during assembly but is released during the firing operation, creating a dynamic mechanism that is both easy to operate and reliable in execution.
3Quantity of substance
If separate housing and cap members are used, then the additive can be contained and fired, but the closure requires larger diameter and more components
Solution Approach 1:
The housing and cap members are combined into a single integral closure body that contains the additive and houses the firing mechanism. This single component performs the functions of multiple separate parts, reducing the number of components while maintaining additive containment and delivery capabilities.
Solution Approach 2:
The plunger and seal mechanisms are nested within the integral closure body, with the additive contained in a chamber formed by the closure structure itself. This nesting arrangement allows multiple functions to be achieved within a single component rather than requiring separate housing elements.
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 simplifies manufacturing, ensures accurate firing of additives by eliminating the need for a housing flange, and provides a compact design that maintains sealing while delivering a large volume of additive, overcoming the issues of complex manufacturing and incorrect threaded connections in prior devices.
Implementation Method 1
a pressurised additive liquid in the fluid chamber, and wherein the plug member housing is adapted to move relative to the cap member between a first closed position of the closure device, in which the plug member seals the bottom aperture closed
Data Source
AI summary
A closure device (210) for dispensing an additive product into a container (34) having a main liquid compartment and an opening with a threaded container neck (38) comprises a cap member (36) having a threaded side wall (37) adapted to be secured to the threaded container neck (38), a pressurised fluid chamber (60) fixed to the cap member (36) containing an additive product, and a plug member housing (54) including a plug member (64) engageable in a bottom aperture (66) of the fluid chamber and a flange portion (58) adapted to extend across the top of the container neck (38). The plug member housing (54) can move relative to the cap member (36) between a first closed or armed position of the closure device, in which the plug member (64) seals the bottom aperture (66) closed, and in which a first detent member (58A) provided on the plug member housing is engaged by a second detent member (80) provided on the cap member to prevent movement of the plug member housing (54) away from the cap member (36), and a second open or firing position, in which the plug member housing (54) is urged towards the cap member (36) by contact with the threaded container neck (38) and the plug member (64) is raised relative to the bottom aperture (66) to provide a fluid path from the fluid chamber (60) through a nozzle (74) to the main liquid compartment of the container (34), so that the closure device (210) is moved to the firing position by screwing down onto the neck (38).