Flexible Drip Guard with Sieve for Droplet Control

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Solution Overview

Problem

Existing drip guards for containers, such as bottles, often accumulate liquid residue, are unhygienic due to repeated use without washing, and are not adaptable to various bottle sizes, leading to potential exposure to hazardous chemicals or stains, and do not effectively prevent droplet formation or accumulation on the outside of the bottle.

Innovation Solution

A flexible drip guard made from materials like plastics, paper, or metal, with an absorbent layer and securement means such as adhesive or magnetic attachments, that can be wrapped around the container neck and body, featuring a spout attachment with sieve components to reduce droplet formation and contain adjuncts, while allowing for easy attachment of indicia like product warnings or promotional messages.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Reliability

If a reusable drip guard is used, then droplet formation is reduced, but liquid residue accumulates causing hygiene issues

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvedroplet formation reductionVSAvoidhygiene contamination

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSObject-affected harmful factors

Solution Approach 1:

The patent employs a disposable drip guard that is used once and then discarded. This eliminates the hygiene contamination problem associated with reusable drip guards that accumulate liquid residue, while still providing the droplet formation reduction benefit during its single use period.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #27Cheap short-living objects (Disposable)

2Reliability

If a custom-made drip prevention apparatus is designed for each bottle type, then droplet formation is minimized, but manufacturing complexity increases

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvedroplet formation minimizationVSAvoidcustom design requirement

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The patent employs a universal drip guard design that can be adapted to fit multiple bottle types and sizes. This eliminates the need for custom-made apparatus for each bottle type, reducing manufacturing complexity while still effectively minimizing droplet formation through proper positioning and structure.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #6Universality (Multi-functionality)

3Quantity of substance

If a rigid drip-stop ring is used, then liquid residue is absorbed, but adaptability to various bottle sizes is reduced

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveliquid residue absorptionVSAvoidbottle size compatibility

Core Design Contradiction:

Quantity of substanceVSAdaptability or versatility

Solution Approach 1:

The patent employs a flexible or adjustable drip guard design that can adapt to various bottle sizes and shapes. This dynamic design allows the same device to be used across different bottle types while maintaining effective liquid residue absorption capability.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #15Dynamics

4Reliability

If a metal sheet insert is rolled into a pipe shape, then droplet formation is reduced, but user hygiene is compromised

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvedroplet formation reductionVSAvoiduser contact contamination

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSObject-affected harmful factors

Solution Approach 1:

The patent employs a disposable drip guard that eliminates user contact contamination by being discarded after single use. This removes the hygiene issue associated with handling and reusing metal sheet inserts, while maintaining the droplet formation reduction benefit.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #27Cheap short-living objects (Disposable)

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 flexible drip guard effectively absorbs and contains liquid droplets, preventing surface or user exposure to hazardous substances, maintains hygiene by being disposable, and accommodates various bottle sizes with secure attachment, while facilitating easy attachment of informational or promotional content.

Implementation Method 1

a body (14) made of a flexible material... functioning to inhibit the formation of liquid droplets when the liquid is poured from the container or restrain already formed liquid droplets

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectAbsorption: Absorption (physical)

Implementation Method 2

a spout attachment (52)... featuring a spout attachment with sieve components to reduce droplet formation

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectFiltration: Filter (physical)

Data Source

PatentUS8833611B2Drip guard

Publication Date: 2014.09.16 BOUWER GUSTAV

AI summary

This invention relates to a drip guard which is securable to a container and which functions to inhibit or absorb condensation and/or liquid droplets formed on an outer surface of a liquid container. The drip guard has a flexible body which is securable to a liquid container and, in one embodiment, the body functions to inhibit the formation of liquid droplets when the liquid is poured from the container or restrain already formed liquid droplets. In another embodiment the body absorbs condensation or droplets forming on the liquid container in which case the body may be absorbent or it may include an absorbent layer. The body may bear indicia such as, for example, advertising material.