Collapsible Additive Reservoir for Liquid Container Closure
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional closure arrangements for liquid containers require large volumes of finished product to be produced and stored due to consumer sensitivity to additives, leading to inefficiencies in distribution and storage, and existing solutions fail to prevent pressure differences and leakage effectively.
Innovation Solution
A closure arrangement featuring a collapsible additive reservoir that mixes with the base liquid, preventing pressure buildup and leakage, and includes a regulator to control the flow of additives, ensuring efficient and controlled dispensing.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If a conventional closure arrangement with a sealed additive reservoir is used, then leakage of additive is prevented, but pressure difference builds up between the mixing space and the additive reservoir as additive liquid flows out
Solution Approach 1:
The additive reservoir is made collapsible using flexible material, allowing it to deform and change volume as additive liquid flows out. This flexibility prevents pressure buildup by allowing the reservoir to contract, maintaining pressure equilibrium between the reservoir and mixing space while keeping the system sealed against leakage.
Solution Approach 2:
The reservoir transitions from a rigid structure to a dynamic, collapsible structure that can change its volume during operation. This dynamic adaptation allows the reservoir to respond to pressure changes and flow conditions, preventing pressure difference accumulation while maintaining seal integrity.
2Reliability
If large volumes of finished product liquid are produced and stored, then consumer sensitivity to additives is addressed, but distribution and storage inefficiencies occur
Solution Approach 1:
The finished product is segmented into two separate components: base liquid and additive liquid. The base liquid can be produced and stored in large volumes without additives, while the additive is stored separately in the collapsible reservoir. This segmentation allows efficient distribution of bulk base liquid while maintaining product stability, as additives are only introduced at the point of use.
Solution Approach 2:
The base liquid is prepared and stored in advance in large quantities without additives, enabling efficient production and distribution. The additive is kept ready in the reservoir but only mixed with the base liquid when needed, allowing preliminary preparation of the majority of the product while maintaining flexibility for final customization.
3Stability of the object's composition
If additives are mixed with base liquid in advance, then product stability is maintained, but consumer preference for minimal additives is compromised
Solution Approach 1:
The mixing of additive and base liquid is made dynamic and on-demand rather than static and pre-determined. The collapsible reservoir system allows the additive to be mixed with the base liquid only when the consumer activates the device, enabling the product to transition from an additive-free state to a mixed state based on user need, thus maintaining stability while respecting consumer preferences.
Solution Approach 2:
The consumer is empowered to control when and how the additive is mixed with the base liquid through user-induced flow. This self-service approach allows consumers to decide on the presence of additives in their drink, maintaining product stability through the reservoir design while giving consumers control over additive intake.
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 allows for precise and controlled addition of additives to the base liquid, reducing waste and storage needs, while maintaining product stability and consumer preference by mixing additives just before use, thus minimizing the use of preservatives and stabilizers.
Implementation Method 1
the volume of the reservoir decreases as a result of the additive liquid flowing therefrom due to a suction force caused by a user induced flow through the passage
Implementation Method 2
the passage including a mixing space for mixing the additive liquid from the reservoir and the base liquid: wherein the reservoir is in fluid communication with, and has a junction with, the mixing space at a position between the inlet and the outlet of the passage; and wherein the reservoir is collapsible and that the volume of the reservoir decreases as a result of the additive liquid flowing therefrom due to a suction force caused by a user induced flow through the passage
Data Source
Figure 1~2
Figure 3A~3E
Figure 4A~4B
AI summary
Closure Arrangements for Liquid Containers, Liquid Container Assembly, and the Like The present invention relates to closure arrangements for liquid containers, particularly but not exclusively for drinks bottles. A closure arrangement for a liquid containerfor a base liquidcomprises a reservoirfor an additiveliquid. The closure arrangement comprises a passage for flow of liquid from the base liquid container to a user, the passage includinga mixing spacefor mixing theadditive liquid from the reservoir and the base liquid.The present invention further relates to a liquid container assemblyincluding aclosure arrangement. The present invention further relates to an additive reservoir for use in a closure arrangement. Figure 4C