Flap Valve Retainer Resists Radial Displacement
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing flap valves in pump dispensers are prone to inadvertent dislodgement from the pump dispenser body, particularly in large-volume applications, which can lead to operational issues and product leakage.
Innovation Solution
A one-piece flap valve design featuring a flexible strip hinge and a retaining mechanism with radially extending prongs that resist inward displacement, ensuring secure locking within the dispenser tube, allowing for single injection molding and enhanced stability.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If a conventional flap valve design is used, then the valve can be manufactured and assembled, but it is prone to inadvertent dislodgement from the pump dispenser body
Solution Approach 1:
The retainer is integrated directly into the flap valve body as a unified component, merging the valve and retention functions into a single structure. This eliminates the need for separate retention mechanisms while maintaining secure attachment to the pump dispenser body through the leg and aperture engagement system
Solution Approach 2:
The leg is designed with flexible characteristics allowing it to deform elastically during insertion and then maintain a locked position when engaged with the aperture. The dynamic flexibility enables the leg to accommodate installation variations while providing reliable retention under operational loads
2Ease of manufacture
If the flap valve is made in multiple parts, then assembly flexibility is improved, but manufacturing complexity and cost increase
Solution Approach 1:
The entire flap valve assembly including the retainer, leg, and valve body is manufactured as a single integrated component using injection molding. This consolidation eliminates multiple assembly steps and reduces manufacturing complexity while the design incorporates all necessary functional elements in one piece
Solution Approach 2:
The single molded part serves multiple functions simultaneously: the main body provides valve housing, the integrated retainer provides retention, the leg provides mounting engagement, and the flap provides flow control. This multi-functionality in a single component achieves manufacturing simplicity without sacrificing device capability
3Force
If the retainer structure is simplified, then manufacturing is easier, but the resistance to radially inward displacement is reduced
Solution Approach 1:
The leg is designed with a curved profile that provides mechanical advantage when engaged with the aperture. The curvature allows the leg to flex during installation and then resist radially inward forces more effectively, distributing loads along the curved structure rather than concentrating stress at a single point
Solution Approach 2:
The retention mechanism utilizes radial extension of the leg beyond the valve body plane, creating a three-dimensional engagement with the aperture. This dimensional approach provides leverage and mechanical advantage, increasing displacement resistance without requiring complex multi-component structures
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 design significantly reduces the likelihood of inadvertent dislodgement, requiring a greater force for removal and ensuring a secure fit, thus preventing product leakage and improving operational reliability in large-volume dispensers.
Implementation Method 1
a flexible strip, the first portion having a hingeable internal valve flap
Implementation Method 2
the retaining mechanism comprising at least one prong extending from and extending beyond the circumferential wall, such that once the flap valve is installed in a tube body of a dispenser, the retaining mechanism resists against radially inward displacement of the first and second legs
Data Source
Figure 1
Figure 2A~2B
Figure 3A~3B
AI summary
A one-piece flap valve (150) comprising first and second portions hingedly connected to one another by a flexible strip, the first portion having a hingeable internal valve flap (152) and the second portion comprising an at least partially annular valve seat (154). The first and second portions being socket-fitted together by relative movement, such that the valve seat (54, 154) is spanned by the flap (152), the second portion comprising first and second legs (121a, 121b) having first and second locking lugs (127a, 127b) extending radially outwardly therefrom, the locking lugs for location within locking apertures (125a, 125b) of a tube body (10) of a dispenser. The flap valve (150) comprising a retaining mechanism configured and arranged such that once the flap valve is installed in a tube body of a dispenser, the retaining mechanism resists against radially inward displacement of the first and second legs.