Concave End Wall for Spray Gun Flow Cup Ventilation

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Solution Overview

Problem

Flow cups for spray guns have a high space requirement due to the design of their ventilation valves, which also makes them difficult to access and increases procurement costs.

Innovation Solution

A concave curvature on the end wall of the flow cup reduces the space requirement while maintaining accessibility and stability, achieved through a plastics injection-molding process that allows for centering of injection tools and efficient production.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Ease of operation

If the ventilation device is disposed on the outside of the end wall, then accessibility of the ventilation device is improved, but the space requirement of the material container increases

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveaccessibility of ventilation deviceVSAvoidspace requirement of material container

Core Design Contradiction:

Ease of operationVSVolume of moving object

Solution Approach 1:

The end wall is given a concave curvature that uniformly extends across its surface, causing the ventilation device to project axially to a lesser extent in the peripheral region. This curved geometry reduces the overall space requirement while preserving external accessibility of the ventilation device.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #14Spheroidality (Curvature)

2Volume of moving object

If the ventilation valve is offset inward in a centric depression, then the space requirement is reduced, but the ventilation valve becomes difficult to access from the outside

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvespace requirementVSAvoidaccessibility of ventilation valve

Core Design Contradiction:

Volume of moving objectVSEase of operation

Solution Approach 1:

Instead of offsetting the ventilation valve inward into a depression, the end wall is curved concavely while keeping the ventilation device on the outside surface. This allows the device to remain accessible while still achieving space reduction through the curved geometry.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #14Spheroidality (Curvature)

3Ease of manufacture

If the end wall has a convex curvature from injection molding, then manufacturing is simplified, but the space requirement increases and accessibility is compromised

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveinjection molding processVSAvoidspace requirement

Core Design Contradiction:

Ease of manufactureVSVolume of moving object

Solution Approach 1:

The injection molding process is adapted to produce a concave curvature in the end wall rather than a convex one. The mold cavity is designed with the corresponding convex shape that imparts the desired concave curvature to the molded part, achieving space reduction while maintaining manufacturability.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #14Spheroidality (Curvature)

Solution Approach 2:

Instead of allowing the natural injection molding process to create a convex curvature that increases space requirements, the mold is designed to create the opposite (concave) curvature that reduces space requirements while maintaining the benefits of injection molding.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #13The other way round (Inversion)

Data Source

PatentUS20230271202A1Fluid reservoir for a spray gun with a ventilation device

Publication Date: 2023.08.31 SATA GMBH & CO KG

AI summary

A fluid reservoir for a spray gun, which fluid reservoir has a material outlet which is configured for the direct and/or indirect connection to a spray gun. The fluid reservoir includes a material container which is closed at least at one end face by a disk-shaped closing wall. A ventilation device is arranged on the outside of the closing wall. Advantageously, the closing wall is provided with a concavity which uniformly extends over the closing wall.