Dropper Insert With Piercing Spikes For Dental Liquid Dosing

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Solution Overview

Problem

Dropper inserts for dental liquids, such as those containing acetone, face contamination issues due to skin and bubble formation, known as the 'after-boiling effect,' which disrupt precise drop formation and clean dripping.

Innovation Solution

A dropper insert with a rotationally symmetrical body featuring a channel with spikes that pierce and tear through any skin formation, preventing bubble formation at the outlet and ensuring precise droplet formation, along with a conically tapered channel section and funnel-shaped outlet to optimize flow and dosing.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Measurement precision

If a dropper insert is used for droplet application of dental liquids containing acetone, then precise dosing and droplet formation are achieved, but skin formation and bubble contamination occur due to the after-boiling effect

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvedosing accuracyVSAvoidskin formation and bubble contamination
Core Design Contradiction:
Measurement precisionVSObject-generated harmful factors

Solution Approach 1:

The patent applies preliminary action by providing a flattened annular end face at the outlet of the dropper insert before the liquid exits. This flattened surface prevents skin formation and bubble adhesion in advance, ensuring that when the liquid flows out, no contaminated bubbles can form or attach to the outlet. The flattening occurs before the harmful effect (bubble formation) can manifest, preventing contamination proactively.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #10Preliminary action

Solution Approach 2:

The patent converts the harmful after-boiling effect into a benefit by using the flattened annular end face to control where and how skin formation occurs. Instead of allowing skin to form randomly and create bubbles, the flattened surface guides the skin formation to occur in a controlled manner that prevents bubble adhesion. The harmful skin formation is redirected to serve the beneficial purpose of maintaining clean droplet ejection.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #22Blessing in disguise (Convert harm into benefit)

2Speed

If the dropper insert outlet is rounded, then liquid flow is smooth, but the outlet is easily circumferentially flowed over causing contamination

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveliquid flow smoothnessVSAvoidcircumferential flow over and contamination
Core Design Contradiction:
SpeedVSObject-generated harmful factors

Solution Approach 1:

The patent applies asymmetry by changing the outlet geometry from a rounded symmetric shape to a flattened asymmetric annular end face. This asymmetric flattening creates a surface that is resistant to circumferential flow over, preventing liquid from wrapping around and contaminating the outlet while still allowing smooth axial liquid flow to pass through.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #4Asymmetry

3Reliability

If blisters form in the drip channel due to skin rising from the liquid, then the dropper insert becomes contaminated and droplet formation is disrupted

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvedroplet formation consistencyVSAvoidblisters and skin in drip channel
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSObject-generated harmful factors

Solution Approach 1:

The patent applies preliminary action by pre-flattening the annular end face before liquid exits the dropper insert. This preprocessing of the outlet surface prevents skin and blister formation at the critical outlet zone, ensuring that droplet formation remains consistent and reliable without disruption from contaminated blisters forming later in the ejection process.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #10Preliminary action

Data Source

PatentEP3402725B1Dropper insert for the application of a liquid stored in a container
Publication Date: 2019.06.26 HERAEUS KULZER GMBH
  • EP3402725B1 patent drawingFigure 1
  • EP3402725B1 patent drawingFigure 2a~4b

AI summary

The invention relates to a dropper insert for the application of a liquid stored in a container in drops for the dental region. The dropper insert comprises a body (1) which has a substantially rotationally symmetrical design and through which a channel (2) passes in the axial direction. The channel (2) defines an inlet (3) and an outlet (4) for the liquid. According to the invention, an inner circumferential surface (5) of the body (1), said surface delimiting the channel (2), has at least one pin (7) which protrudes into the channel (2) and ends in a tip (6).