Dispenser with Absorbent Substrate for Controlled Release
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Existing dispensing systems for insecticides and fragrances either lack control over release rates or suffer from rapid decay in intensity, with active systems providing quick but short-lived releases and passive systems offering sustained but non-adjustable emissions.
Innovation Solution
A dispensing device that combines active and passive systems by using a substrate to deflect and absorb a composition, allowing for adjustable release rates through manual or automatic activation, with a nozzle releasing a stream that splits into deflected and deposited portions, enabling variable ratios of immediate and prolonged emission.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Speed
If an active dispensing system is used to quickly release a desired amount of composition, then the intensity of composition release is improved, but the duration of action deteriorates due to rapid decay
Solution Approach 1:
The dispensing system is segmented into two distinct subsystems: an active dispensing mechanism that provides rapid initial release and a passive absorbent member that provides sustained release. This segmentation allows each subsystem to optimize its function without compromising the other, resolving the contradiction between fast release speed and prolonged duration.
Solution Approach 2:
The absorbent member is pre-charged with composition before use. When activated, it immediately begins passive diffusion alongside the active system's rapid release. This preliminary preparation ensures that as the active system's intensity decays, the pre-charged passive system is already providing sustained release, extending the overall duration of action.
2Duration of action of moving object
If a passive dispensing system is used to achieve sustained release, then the duration of action is improved, but the ability to release desired amounts upon activation deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The invention merges an active dispensing system with a passive absorbent member into a single integrated device. The active system provides on-demand controlled release when needed, while the passive system provides sustained background release. This combination allows the device to achieve both immediate controlled dispensing and prolonged sustained release, resolving the contradiction between duration and controllability.
Solution Approach 2:
The system allows dynamic adjustment of release parameters by controlling the activation timing and duration of the active system. By varying when and how long the active dispensing mechanism operates, users can control the initial burst amount while the passive system automatically adjusts to provide complementary sustained release, achieving both controllability and extended duration.
3Quantity of substance
If multiple delivery mechanisms are combined to achieve both instantaneous burst and continuous passive release, then the quantity of substance released is improved, but the device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The absorbent member serves multiple functions: it acts as a passive release mechanism for sustained background emission, functions as a reservoir that can be recharged by the active system, and provides structural integration that simplifies the overall device design. This multi-functionality allows the system to deliver both instantaneous burst and continuous passive release without proportionally increasing complexity.
Solution Approach 2:
The passive absorbent member is nested within or integrated with the active dispensing system structure. The absorbent member is positioned to receive direct spray from the active nozzle and is contained within the same housing. This nesting arrangement allows both mechanisms to share common structural elements, reducing overall device complexity while maintaining the ability to deliver both burst and sustained release.
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 device achieves a controlled release of volatile actives with adjustable intensity and duration, providing a burst of fragrance or insecticide that quickly permeates the environment while also allowing for a prolonged passive emission, enhancing the effectiveness and longevity of the composition's impact.
Implementation Method 1
a substrate to deflect and absorb a composition
Implementation Method 2
passive systems, where the composition emanates from a pre-charged substrate by passive diffusion
Implementation Method 3
a nozzle releasing a stream that splits into deflected and deposited portions
Data Source
Figure 1~1A
Figure 2~3
Figure 4~5
AI summary
A dispensing device (10) includes a housing (12), a substrate (22) having a surface (22a) and disposed within the housing (12), a reservoir (14) disposed within the housing (12) and having a volatile active, and an activator (16) operatively connected to the reservoir (14). When the activator (16) is activated, the volatile active (20) is released from the reservoir (14) onto the surface (22b) to create a first quantity (24) of volatile active (20) having a first emanation rate and a second quantity (26) of volatile active (20) having a second emanation rate.