Fluid Dispensing Plug with Bellows for Cosmetics
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current fluid container designs for cosmetics often fail to dispense fluids evenly and predictably, leading to issues like excessive product, clogging, and consumer dissatisfaction, as they lack effective control over fluid flow and dosage.
Innovation Solution
The development of structures and devices within the fluid container, such as plugs with retaining ridges and foam materials, that utilize a threshold fluid pressure to control the dispensing of fluids, preventing excessive flow and clogging, and ensuring a consistent, controlled release.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If conventional fluid container designs are used, then the container structure is simple, but the fluid dispensing is uneven and unpredictable leading to clogging and consumer dissatisfaction
Solution Approach 1:
The plug is segmented into multiple functional zones including a tortuous path section with varying cross-sections, an expansion section, and a dispensing section. This segmentation creates controlled flow paths that prevent clogging while maintaining predictable dispensing, resolving the contradiction between reliability and complexity.
Solution Approach 2:
The plug incorporates a bellows portion that can expand and contract dynamically in response to pressure changes. This dynamic behavior allows the plug to adapt to different dispensing conditions, maintaining fluid flow consistency while managing the complexity through a single movable component.
2Quantity of substance
If no fluid flow control structures are used, then the device is simple, but excessive fluid is dispensed causing waste and clean-up problems
Solution Approach 1:
Different sections of the plug have locally optimized properties: the tortuous path section controls flow direction, the expansion section regulates pressure, and the dispensing section controls output. This local quality differentiation enables precise dosage control without requiring a complex multi-component system.
Solution Approach 2:
The plug cross-sectional area varies along its length, creating parameter changes that control fluid flow rate and pressure. This gradual parameter change enables dosaging control while maintaining a relatively simple single-piece plug structure.
3Productivity
If high pressure is applied to dispense fluid, then dispensing speed increases, but fluid drips and orifice clogging occurs
Solution Approach 1:
The plug acts as an intermediary element between the fluid reservoir and the dispensing orifice. It mediates the pressure transmission, allowing high pressure to be applied without direct transmission to the orifice, thereby preventing dripping and clogging while maintaining dispensing speed.
Solution Approach 2:
The bellows portion enables periodic expansion and contraction that creates pulsating flow. This periodic action allows controlled dispensing at high speed while preventing continuous pressure that would cause dripping and clogging.
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
These solutions enable even, smooth, and predictable fluid dispensing, reducing dripping and clogging, and allowing for accurate dosing, enhancing consumer satisfaction and reducing packaging costs while maintaining the aesthetic appeal of the container.
Implementation Method 1
structures and devices within the fluid container, such as plugs with retaining ridges and foam materials, that utilize a threshold fluid pressure to control the dispensing of fluids
Implementation Method 2
plugs with retaining ridges and foam materials
Data Source
AI summary
In various embodiments, the invention provides enhanced structures, devices, and techniques that allow fluids and liquid products, such as cosmetics, to dispense in a more even, smoother, and more predictable manner from fluid containers. In one embodiment, a plug is positioned within at least a portion of an interior of a nozzle of a fluid container. The plug may include a base portion having at least one fluid flow opening formed therein and a bellows portion. In operation, the bellows portion may expand to an elongated state upon application of a threshold fluid pressure to create a pathway for communicating fluid, and may contract to a compressed state which creates a fluid communication seal between a fluid repository and dispensing orifice of the fluid container.