Dispenser With Articulated Cannula And Non-Circular Button
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing spray dispenser containers for oral use expose the cannula when not in use, making it susceptible to contamination, bending, or breakage, and lack clear indication of the dispensing position, leading to inefficient substance delivery and potential waste.
Innovation Solution
A dispenser-container assembly with a cannula protection housing that secures the cannula in its rest configuration and a non-circular button design allowing only translational movement to prevent accidental blockage and ensure proper orientation during use.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If the cannula is made rigid to prevent bending and breakage, then the reliability of the cannula is improved, but the device complexity increases due to the need for a protection housing mechanism
Solution Approach 1:
The cannula is nested within a protection housing that contains it during non-use. The housing acts as a protective container that can be integrated into the dispenser body, allowing the cannula to be stored safely without requiring external protective measures or complex rigid structural modifications.
Solution Approach 2:
The dispenser is divided into functional segments: the protection housing as a separate protective element, the cannula as a distinct dispensing component, and the button mechanism. This segmentation allows the protection housing to be optimized for safety while the cannula remains simple and reliable.
2Ease of operation
If the button is designed to allow rotation to reach dispensing position, then the ease of operation is improved, but the loss of substance increases due to inadvertent rotation into blocked position
Solution Approach 1:
The button is designed with a non-circular cross-section (asymmetric shape) that prevents rotational movement. This asymmetric design ensures the button can only move linearly between blocked and dispensing positions, eliminating the risk of inadvertent rotation into blocked position and the associated substance waste.
Solution Approach 2:
A linear guide mechanism acts as an intermediary between the button and the pump, constraining the button's movement to a straight line. This intermediary component prevents rotational movement while maintaining ease of operation through simple linear pressing motion.
3Ease of operation
If the cannula is exposed during non-use to allow easy access, then the ease of operation is improved, but the object-affected harmful factors increase due to contamination and damage risk
Solution Approach 1:
The cannula is nested within the protection housing during non-use, providing a protective environment that shields it from contamination and damage. The housing can be integrated into the dispenser body, allowing the cannula to be easily accessed when needed while protected when not in use.
Solution Approach 2:
The protection housing is designed to automatically position and protect the cannula before use. The protective covering is already in place during storage and transport, preventing contamination and damage beforehand, and can be quickly opened or retracted when the dispenser is ready for use.
Data Source
Figure 1~3
Figure 4A~6
AI summary
A dispenser-container assembly for containing a substance and delivering it in a spray form in a target area. The assembly comprises: a container and a pump associated to said container to suck an amount of substance from said container and deliver it towards an outlet nozzle; a button to actuate said pump, said button comprising a button lateral surface; a body associable to the container and enclosing at least a portion of said button lateral surface; a dispensing cannula configured to assume a rest configuration and a configuration of use; and a cannula housing within which the cannula can be held in a secured way when the assembly is in its rest configuration, wherein said body is configured to retain and guide said button in an essentially translational movement.