Dispensing system including a dispensing tap and an integrated measuring cap/cup
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing dispensing devices for flowable products, such as liquid laundry detergent, face challenges in easy assembly and secure attachment of a dispensing tap and measuring cup to a container, often requiring multiple steps and risking detachment during filling.
Innovation Solution
A combined dispensing tap and measuring cup assembly that is pre-assembled and can be installed in a single step, featuring interfitting structures for secure attachment during installation and optional reattachment after initial use, with features like snap structures, ribs, and textured surfaces for enhanced gripping and torque resistance.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Productivity
If the tap and measuring cup are assembled separately and attached to the container in multiple steps, then the assembly process becomes complex and time-consuming, but the components can be manufactured independently with simpler tooling
Solution Approach 1:
The patent combines the measuring cup and dispensing tap into a single pre-assembled unit that attaches to the container in one step. The cup is positioned to surround the tap, and both components are secured to the container simultaneously through integrated attachment mechanisms, eliminating multi-step assembly processes and improving production efficiency.
Solution Approach 2:
The measuring cup and dispensing tap are pre-assembled together before being attached to the container. This preliminary assembly allows the components to be configured and secured in their final positions during a single attachment operation, reducing assembly time and complexity at the container installation stage.
2Ease of operation
If the tap and measuring cup are pre-assembled together, then installation onto the container is simplified to a single step, but the attachment structures must provide sufficient gripping area for torque application
Solution Approach 1:
The attachment structures serve multiple functions: they securely connect the pre-assembled tap and cup unit to the container, provide sufficient surface area for applying torque during installation, and maintain structural integrity during the filling operation. The integrated design allows a single attachment mechanism to fulfill both securing and torque-transmission requirements.
3Reliability
If the measuring cup surrounds the dispensing tap, then the assembly provides integrated functionality and secure attachment, but the cup must be designed with interfitting structures that engage with the tap
Solution Approach 1:
The measuring cup is designed to surround and nest around the dispensing tap, with interfitting structures such as ribs on the cup engaging with corresponding features on the tap. This nested configuration provides secure mechanical attachment while maintaining a compact integrated assembly that functions as a unified unit during installation and use.
Data Source
AI summary
A dispensing system includes a liquid dispensing tap and an associated or integrated measuring cap/cup. The dispensing tap and cap/cup are configured such that the cap/cup is assembled with the tap prior to installation onto a container, and stays assembled with the tap during installation onto the container at the filling line, and which can later be removed for use and then reattached to the tap or container after use by the consumer.