Liquid Dosing Device with Elastomeric Seal and Anti-Reverse Valve
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing liquid dosing devices face issues with speed and convenience, particularly in achieving clean termination of doses and repeated dosing while the container is inverted, due to slow obturator recovery and potential dripping.
Innovation Solution
The introduction of a dosing device with a rearwardly-directed seat comprising a resiliently deformable elastomeric material around the annular engagement region, combined with a unidirectional anti-reverse valve, ensures sudden and complete flow cutoff at the end of a dose and prevents reverse flow, allowing for repeated dosing without righting the container.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If a rigid seat is used at the outlet passage, then the structure is simple and manufacturing is easy, but the flow cutoff is not clean and dripping occurs
Solution Approach 1:
The seat surface material parameter is changed from rigid to resiliently deformable elastomeric material, enabling the surface to deform and conform to the obturator blocking portion, thereby achieving a clean flow cutoff and eliminating dripping without significant structural complexity
Solution Approach 2:
The seat is formed as a composite structure combining a rigid substrate with an elastomeric material layer, providing both structural support and the deformable sealing surface needed for clean flow termination
2Productivity
If the container is inverted for repeated dosing, then dosing speed increases, but reverse flow occurs and dosing accuracy deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
A unidirectional anti-reverse valve is introduced as an intermediary component in the outlet passage that allows forward flow during dispensing but blocks reverse flow when the container is inverted, enabling repeated dosing without compromising dosing accuracy
3Ease of operation
If the obturator recovery position is slow, then the dosing mechanism is simple, but repeated dosing convenience deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The unidirectional anti-reverse valve preliminarily prevents reverse flow during container recovery, allowing the obturator to be forced back to its retracted position more quickly, thereby improving repeated dosing convenience without extending obturator recovery duration
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
This solution significantly improves dosing performance by minimizing dripping and enabling repeated dosing in an inverted position, ensuring clean and efficient dispensing of metered doses without the need to upright the container.
Implementation Method 1
The surface of the seat comprises a resiliently deformable sealing material, specifically elastomer material
Implementation Method 2
a unidirectional valve inhibiting reverse flow in the outlet passage upstream of the obturator's blocking position
Implementation Method 3
an obturator movable in the control chamber and adapted to advance, during dispensing, under the influence of liquid flowing into the control chamber behind it
Data Source
Figure 1~2
Figure 3~4
AI summary
A dosing device for dispensing liquid from a container (1) in which flow through flow openings (23) to an outlet tube (44) is blocked after controlled delay by an obturator (3) moveable within a control chamber (2) mounted in a container neck (101) behind the outlet tube (44). Movement of the obturator (3) is governed by restricted flow through control openings (28) at the rear of the control chamber. Restoration of the obturator to the back of the control chamber facilitates repeated dosing. An elastomeric element (6) of resiliently deformable material promotes a seal to achieve a cleanly defined dose. In one proposal the elastomeric element coats the surface of the obturator and / or the outlet tube (64) to cut off the flow. Another proposal provides a one-way elastomeric valve element (63) for blocking the flow openings to enable rapid recovery after a dosing operation.