Deformable Cellular Screen for Complete Cosmetic Product Emptying

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Solution Overview

Problem

Existing cosmetic product packaging devices with screens are complex to manufacture and do not efficiently allow for the uniform application and complete emptying of the product, lacking in user-friendly design and product control.

Innovation Solution

A device featuring a container with a cellular and deformable screen made from materials like polyurethane foam, allowing the screen to mold to the container's bottom and provide a large surface area for product access, enabling easy product pickup and complete emptying by being elastically deformable and having a concave shape towards the screen.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Ease of manufacture

If a traditional screen structure is used, then the device can be manufactured, but the manufacturing process is complex and the screen cannot efficiently allow for uniform application and complete emptying of product

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvemanufacturing simplicityVSAvoidproduct emptying efficiency
Core Design Contradiction:
Ease of manufactureVSProductivity

Solution Approach 1:

The screen is made of cellular material with open porosity that allows product to pass through easily from the lower surface to the upper surface, enabling complete emptying of the container while simplifying the manufacturing process

Inventive Principle:
Principle #31Porous materials

Solution Approach 2:

The screen material is elastically deformable, allowing it to change shape and come into contact with the container bottom when product is used up, ensuring complete emptying while maintaining manufacturing simplicity

Inventive Principle:
Principle #35Parameter changes

2Area of stationary object

If a traditional screen structure is used, then the device can function, but the screen does not provide a large surface area for product access and cannot mold to the container bottom

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvescreen surface areaVSAvoidscreen structure complexity
Core Design Contradiction:
Area of stationary objectVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The cellular material provides a large surface area for product access while maintaining a simple screen structure that can be easily manufactured

Inventive Principle:
Principle #31Porous materials

Solution Approach 2:

The screen is made elastically deformable, allowing it to dynamically change shape and come into contact with the container bottom when product is used up, maximizing surface area utilization without adding structural complexity

Inventive Principle:
Principle #15Dynamics

3Loss of substance

If the screen is rigid, then the structure is simple, but the screen cannot come into contact with the container bottom when product is used up, leaving residual product

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveresidual productVSAvoidscreen flexibility requirement
Core Design Contradiction:
Loss of substanceVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The screen material is elastically deformable, allowing it to change shape and come into contact with the container bottom when product is used up, ensuring complete emptying while maintaining reasonable structural simplicity

Inventive Principle:
Principle #35Parameter changes

Solution Approach 2:

The cellular material provides both the necessary flexibility to contact the container bottom and the porosity to allow product passage, minimizing residual product without significantly increasing device complexity

Inventive Principle:
Principle #31Porous materials

4Ease of operation

If the screen does not have cellular material, then the manufacturing process is simpler, but the product cannot pass through easily and application is not uniform

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveproduct passage easeVSAvoidmanufacturing complexity
Core Design Contradiction:
Ease of operationVSEase of manufacture

Solution Approach 1:

The cellular material with open porosity allows product to pass through easily from the lower surface to the upper surface, enabling uniform application while the manufacturing process remains relatively simple

Inventive Principle:
Principle #31Porous materials

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 complete product usage, and allows for controlled and uniform application of cosmetic products by allowing the screen to come into contact with the container bottom when empty, facilitating easy product access and minimizing residual product.

Implementation Method 1

the screen is able to mould itself to the shape of the bottom of the container when the product (P) in the container has been used up

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectElastic deformation: Elasticity

Implementation Method 2

The cellular nature of the material constituting the screen can, in particular in the case of open porosity, allow the product contained in the container to easily pass through the screen from its lower surface to its upper surface

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectPorosity: Porosity

Data Source

PatentEP3206526B1Device comprising a screen comprising a cellular material
Publication Date: 2022.02.16 LOREAL SA
  • EP3206526B1 patent drawingFigure 1~4
  • EP3206526B1 patent drawingFigure 5~7

AI summary

Packaging and application device (1), comprising: - a container (10) containing a product (P) to be applied, - a screen (30), comprising a cellular and deformable material, through which the product contained in the container (10) exits, the container (10) comprising a bottom (12), the screen (30) being able to come into contact with the bottom (12) of the container (10) when the product (P) in the container (10) has been used up.