Dosing Device Plunger Stop Elements for Precise Gel Dispensing

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Solution Overview

Problem

Existing dosing devices for dispensing flowable materials, such as gels, into toilet bowls have complex structures that complicate the precise dispensing of defined doses, particularly for materials with sticky consistency.

Innovation Solution

A simplified dosing device with a cylindrical body and a plunger featuring depressible stop elements arranged in staggered rows, allowing for defined insertion and dispensing of flowable materials without additional locking mechanisms in the cylindrical body, ensuring consistent dose delivery.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Manufacturing precision

If locking elements are provided on both the cylindrical body and the piston or outer sleeve to ensure defined insertion, then dosing precision is improved, but device complexity increases

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvedosing precisionVSAvoidstructure complexity
Core Design Contradiction:
Manufacturing precisionVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The invention extracts the locking function from a distributed system (locking elements on both cylindrical body and piston) and concentrates it solely on the piston through stop elements. This eliminates the need for corresponding locking features on the cylindrical body, reducing overall structural complexity while preserving dosing precision.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #2Taking out (Extraction)

Solution Approach 2:

Instead of having the cylindrical body provide active locking elements that engage with the piston, the invention inverts the approach by having the piston carry the stop elements that interact with the cylindrical body's geometry. This reversal simplifies the cylindrical body structure while achieving the same functional outcome.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #13The other way round (Inversion)

2Manufacturing precision

If the piston and cylindrical body are constructed in a complex manner with locking elements, then defined dose dispensing is ensured, but ease of manufacture deteriorates

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvedose consistencyVSAvoidmanufacturing simplicity
Core Design Contradiction:
Manufacturing precisionVSEase of manufacture

Solution Approach 1:

The invention removes the complex locking element system from the cylindrical body, extracting only the essential stopping function. The piston's stop elements interact with the cylindrical body's existing geometry, eliminating the need for additional locking features and simplifying manufacturing processes for both components.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #2Taking out (Extraction)

3Reliability

If multiple locking mechanisms are implemented in the cylindrical body and piston, then dosing reliability is improved, but device complexity increases

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvedosing reliabilityVSAvoidmechanism complexity
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The stop elements on the piston automatically interact with the cylindrical body's geometry to provide defined insertion positioning. This self-service mechanism eliminates the need for additional active locking mechanisms, maintaining dosing reliability through passive geometric constraints rather than complex active locking systems.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #25Self-service

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 enables efficient and precise dispensing of defined doses of flowable materials with a sticky consistency, maintaining their shape and adhering to the toilet bowl surface, while simplifying the structure for user-friendly operation and increased capacity.

Implementation Method 1

The introduction is such that the flowable material is displaced by the plunger and pushed out of the dispensing opening

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectMechanical displacement: Mechanical Force

Implementation Method 2

a stop element extends radially beyond the inner diameter of the cylindrical body in the non-depressed state and thus forms a stop for the rim of the cylindrical body

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectMechanical stopping: Mechanical Force

Implementation Method 3

the flowable material is designed in such a way that it does not automatically emerge from the dosing device and also has a sticky consistency, so that it automatically adheres to the inside of a toilet bowl when applied

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectAdhesion: Adhesive

Data Source

PatentEP2361850B1Metering device
Publication Date: 2014.01.01 TOMIL
  • EP2361850B1 patent drawingFigure 1~2
  • EP2361850B1 patent drawingFigure 3
  • EP2361850B1 patent drawingFigure 4

AI summary

The dosing device (10) has a cylindrical body (14), whose inner space forms a hollow space for receiving the flowing material (12). The cylindrical body has an open end and opposite-lying outlet opening (18). A piston (20) has stoppers that are pressed in radial direction. The stoppers are arranged with an axial distance to each other.