Dual-Chamber Container for Synchronized Volatile Evaporation

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Solution Overview

Problem

Existing evaporation devices for volatile substances, such as insecticides and perfumes, face challenges in visually indicating the end of life of the volatile substance due to the lack of appearance alteration in porous materials and require separate containers, increasing costs and synchronization issues with heating means.

Innovation Solution

A single container with two separate chambers: one for a porous carrier impregnated with a volatile substance and another for an indicative liquid, both designed to evaporate at the same rate through a permeable film, allowing synchronized evaporation and visual indication.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Loss of information

If a porous material impregnated with volatile substance is used, then the volatile substance can be evaporated, but it is not possible to detect visually when the volatile product has been consumed

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvevisual indication of consumptionVSAvoidstructure simplicity
Core Design Contradiction:
Loss of informationVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The patent employs a colored liquid indicator that changes the visual appearance of the container as the volatile substance is consumed. The liquid indicator is positioned to be visible through the container wall, providing a clear color-based signal when the volatile substance level decreases, thereby solving the visual detection problem without complex mechanisms.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #32Color changes

2Loss of information

If two different containers are used for volatile substance and coloured liquid, then visual indication is achieved, but the cost of the device is increased and manufacturing complexity increases

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvevisual indicationVSAvoidmanufacturing cost and assembly
Core Design Contradiction:
Loss of informationVSEase of manufacture

Solution Approach 1:

The patent combines the volatile substance container and the colored liquid indicator into a single integrated container structure. The container has a first chamber for the porous material with volatile substance and a second chamber for the liquid indicator, with both chambers formed as one piece through thermoforming. This eliminates the need for separate containers and assembly steps, reducing manufacturing cost and complexity while maintaining the visual indication function.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #5Merging (Combining)

3Duration of action of moving object

If two separate containers are arranged at different distances from heating means, then both can be heated, but the evaporation of volatile substance and indicative liquid is not synchronized

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveevaporation durationVSAvoidevaporation synchronization
Core Design Contradiction:
Duration of action of moving objectVSManufacturing precision

Solution Approach 1:

By integrating both the volatile substance and liquid indicator into a single container with thermally conductive walls, the patent ensures uniform heat distribution to both chambers. The container design allows both substances to be heated simultaneously and uniformly, achieving synchronized evaporation without requiring precise positioning of separate containers relative to the heating element.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #5Merging (Combining)

4Ease of manufacture

If a single container with two chambers is used, then manufacturing cost is reduced and replacement is simplified, but the chambers must be positioned at similar distances from heating means for synchronized evaporation

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvemanufacturing cost and replacementVSAvoidheating uniformity
Core Design Contradiction:
Ease of manufactureVSTemperature

Solution Approach 1:

The patent employs a thin-walled container structure made through thermoforming that provides good thermal conductivity between chambers. The thin walls allow heat to distribute uniformly across both chambers from a single heating source, ensuring synchronized evaporation while maintaining the cost-effective single-container design.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #30Flexible shells and thin films

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

Synchronizes the evaporation of volatile and indicative substances, reducing costs by eliminating the need for separate containers and simplifying replacement, while ensuring visual indication of substance depletion.

Implementation Method 1

a second chamber (3) containing a second volatile substance in a liquid state which evaporates through a permeable film (5)

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectEvaporation: Evaporation

Implementation Method 2

a porous carrier (4) impregnated with a first volatile substance

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectCapillary action: Capillary Action

Data Source

PatentEP2164529B1Container for volatile substances with level indicator liquid
Publication Date: 2012.06.27 ZOBELE HLDG SPA
  • EP2164529B1 patent drawingFigure 1
  • EP2164529B1 patent drawingFigure 2

AI summary

The invention refers to a container (1) for volatile substances having a first chamber (2) containing a porous material (4) impregnated with a first volatile substance, and a second chamber (3) containing a second volatile substance. The evaporation of the first and the second volatile substances is synchronized so that both volatile substances are finished substantially at the same time. The second volatile substance is used as a visual indication of the end of life of the first substance.