Porous Inner Support for Diffuser Membrane Deformation
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Solution Overview
Problem
Diffusers of active substances face issues such as membrane deformation due to vacuum, reduced effective volume, non-uniform evaporation, and accumulation of non-volatile components, leading to performance degradation and user confusion about product depletion.
Innovation Solution
Incorporating a porous inner rigid part behind the permeable membrane to support it against deformation, allowing liquid passage, and housing non-volatile components, which also serves as a splash protector and indicator of product depletion.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If a porous membrane is used to diffuse volatile substances, then the substance can be diffused to the environment, but the membrane deforms under vacuum causing breakage and reducing container volume
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces a porous inner rigid part made of porous material (such as porous ceramic or porous metal) that serves multiple functions: it maintains structural support to prevent membrane deformation under vacuum, allows liquid to pass through via capillary action, and absorbs non-volatile components. This porous structure resolves the contradiction by providing mechanical strength while maintaining permeability for the diffusion function.
Solution Approach 2:
The container employs a composite structure combining a rigid outer container wall, a porous inner rigid part, and a flexible permeable membrane. This composite design integrates materials with different properties: the outer wall provides structural integrity, the porous inner part provides support and filtration, and the membrane provides selective permeability. This composite approach prevents membrane breakage while maintaining the diffusion function.
2Manufacturing precision
If the container volume is reduced to prevent splashes during filling, then welding quality improves, but the air chamber increases making the product appear incomplete
Solution Approach 1:
The porous inner rigid part absorbs excess liquid during filling through capillary action, preventing splashes on the welding area. This allows the container to be filled to its full designed capacity without compromising weld quality, eliminating the need to reduce volume to protect the welding area.
Solution Approach 2:
The porous inner rigid part acts as an intermediary element between the liquid and the welding area. It absorbs and contains the liquid, preventing direct contact with the welding zone while allowing the container to maintain its full volume. This mediator protects the welding quality without sacrificing storage capacity.
3Productivity
If the liquid level changes during evaporation, then the membrane-liquid contact surface is reduced, but this slows evaporation rate and degrades performance
Solution Approach 1:
The porous inner rigid part with its capillary structures maintains continuous liquid contact with the permeable membrane throughout the product lifetime. The capillary action ensures liquid is constantly supplied to the membrane surface, preventing the membrane-drying out that occurs in conventional designs. This maintains consistent evaporation rate and performance duration.
Solution Approach 2:
The porous inner rigid part ensures continuous liquid supply to the membrane through capillary action, maintaining uninterrupted evaporation. The liquid level is kept constant at the membrane surface, ensuring the membrane remains wetted throughout the entire product lifetime. This continuous action prevents performance degradation over time.
4Loss of information
If non-volatile components remain in the container, then the product appears not depleted, but this confuses the consumer about when to replace
Solution Approach 1:
The porous inner rigid part absorbs non-volatile components through adsorption and capillary action, concentrating them within the porous structure. As the volatile substance evaporates completely, the non-volatile components are trapped in the porous material, creating a visible indicator that the product is depleted. This provides clear consumer feedback without waste.
Solution Approach 2:
The porous inner rigid part acts as an intermediary that separates and concentrates non-volatile components from the volatile substance. It traps the non-volatile residues within its porous structure, making them visible to the consumer as an indicator of product depletion. This mediator provides clear information about product status without requiring additional indicators or labels.
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
Prevents membrane deformation, maintains consistent evaporation rate, and clearly indicates product exhaustion by absorbing non-volatile components, ensuring a full appearance and uniform diffusion.
Implementation Method 1
a breathable membrane (2) that closes the vessel (1) and allows passage of the volatile components in a gaseous state
Implementation Method 2
the volatile substance stored in a vessel constituting the container is diffused
Implementation Method 3
a vacuum is generated inside the container, as no air enters it. Thus, the membrane is sucked in causing it to bend inwards
Implementation Method 4
the porous inner part has a number of openings that allow the liquid to pass toward the membrane at all times
Implementation Method 5
The porosity of the material conforming the part allows housing the non-volatile part corresponding to the additional components of the substance
Data Source
AI summary
Comprises a vessel (1) that houses the active liquid substance to be diffused, such as a fragrance, insecticide or other, through a breathable membrane (2) that closes the vessel (1) and comprises a porous part (3) placed near and parallel to the breathable membrane (2) in order to prevent the deformation of the membrane (2) when a vacuum is generated as the vessel (1) is emptied. The porous part (3) has a number of openings (4) through which passes the liquid to ensure its contact with the membrane (2) at all times for a homogenous evaporation and it occupies part of the volume of the vessel (1), absorbing the active substances, the non-volatile substances remaining in said porous part (3) after the vessel (1) has no more volatile components.