Flexible Seal for Portable Diffuser Leakage

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Solution Overview

Problem

Portable essential oil diffusers often leak due to increased air pressure when attaching the fluid bottle, leading to fluid loss and clogged atomizers, and they lack durability and ease of repair.

Innovation Solution

A flexible seal that radially expands to reduce air pressure within the diffuser system, combined with a modular design allowing for separable and replaceable atomizer housing and a cover that controls operation using a magnetic sensor, preventing leakage and enabling easy maintenance.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Reliability

If a rigid seal is used to prevent leakage, then sealing effectiveness is improved, but the device becomes more prone to damage from pressure changes and harder to manufacture

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvesealing effectivenessVSAvoidmanufacturing complexity

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSEase of manufacture

Solution Approach 1:

The patent employs a flexible seal member comprising a radially extending flexible sidewall and an axially extending flexible end wall that can deform elastically in response to pressure changes during bottle attachment. This flexibility allows the seal to maintain effectiveness while accommodating manufacturing tolerances and pressure variations, resolving the contradiction between sealing reliability and manufacturing ease.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #30Flexible shells and thin films

2Productivity

If the bottle is tightly attached to the housing, then fluid delivery is improved, but air pressure increases causing leakage and clogging

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvefluid delivery efficiencyVSAvoidair pressure buildup

Core Design Contradiction:

ProductivityVSObject-generated harmful factors

Solution Approach 1:

The patent implements a dynamic sealing system where the flexible seal member can deform in response to pressure changes. As the bottle is attached and air pressure increases, the flexible seal expands radially and axially to maintain the seal while accommodating the pressure变化, preventing leakage and clogging while maintaining fluid delivery efficiency.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #15Dynamics

Solution Approach 2:

The patent utilizes the elastic properties of the flexible seal material to change its physical parameters (radial and axial dimensions) in response to pressure changes during bottle attachment. This parameter change allows the seal to adapt to varying pressure conditions, maintaining effective sealing without causing harmful pressure buildup effects.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #35Parameter changes

3Strength

If the diffuser is designed as a single integrated unit, then structural strength is improved, but durability and ease of repair are reduced

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvestructural integrityVSAvoidcomponent replaceability

Core Design Contradiction:

StrengthVSEase of repair

Solution Approach 1:

The patent divides the diffuser into separable components including the atomizer housing, bottle, and cover that can be attached and detached. The flexible seal member enables reliable connection between these segments while allowing them to be separated for maintenance and repair, resolving the contradiction between structural strength and ease of repair.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #1Segmentation

4Volume of moving object

If the diffuser is made compact for portability, then portability is improved, but leakage resistance is worsened

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvedevice sizeVSAvoidleakage resistance

Core Design Contradiction:

Volume of moving objectVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

The patent uses a flexible seal member that can deform to maintain sealing effectiveness in the compact portable diffuser design. The flexibility allows the seal to accommodate the confined space while maintaining reliable leakage resistance, resolving the contradiction between compact size and leakage prevention.

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

The flexible seal reduces leakage by equalizing internal and external air pressure, while the modular design enhances durability and portability by allowing for easy replacement of components, minimizing fluid waste and extending the diffuser's lifespan.

Implementation Method 1

a flexible seal positioned adjacent to the coupling portion and configured to expand in response to engagement with an end of the bottle

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectElastic expansion: Elasticity

Implementation Method 2

the diffuser excites and disperses the fluid so that it is capable of being scattered in tiny droplets or clouds of vapor in the air around the diffuser

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectAtomization:

Data Source

PatentUS11541413B2Portable diffuser

Publication Date: 2023.01.03 BLOOMY LOTUS LTD

AI summary

A fluid diffuser for atomization of essential oils can have a flexible seal used to reduce internal pressure of an air chamber adjacent to the atomizer. It can also use a cover and a sensor to control the operation of the atomizer based on the position of the cover. An atomizer housing portion of the diffuser can be removable and replaceable relative to a lower portion of the housing.