Reusable Fluid Dispenser with Axial Perforator and Valve
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing fluid dispenser devices face challenges such as difficulty in reusing the device with multiple reservoirs, complex manufacturing, and limited material choices due to friction issues between closure elements, requiring high air pressure and unpredictable dispensing moments, and often result in non-reusable and environmentally unfriendly designs.
Innovation Solution
A reusable fluid dispenser device with a removable reservoir and a movable perforator member that allows for axial sliding between loading and actuation positions, featuring a spring-loaded air expeller with a valve or ball mechanism to control air flow, enabling precise fluid dispensing and easy reservoir replacement.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If a spherical closure element is used to close the reservoir outlet, then the closure effectiveness is improved, but the friction between the ball and its cylindrical seat makes the air pressure difficult to control and the dispensing moment unpredictable
Solution Approach 1:
The invention extracts the closure function from a spherical ball and implements it through a different mechanism: a valve system with a valve body and valve element that can be opened and closed by air pressure. This eliminates the friction problem between a ball and its seat while maintaining effective closure and providing predictable dispensing timing.
Solution Approach 2:
The invention changes the physical parameters of the closure mechanism from a spherical ball with friction-based closure to a valve system where closure is achieved through pressure differential and geometric fit. The valve element moves linearly rather than rotating, and closure is determined by pressure thresholds rather than friction forces, making the dispensing moment predictable.
2Productivity
If high air pressure is used to guarantee complete dispensing and break up the powder dose, then the dispensing completeness is improved, but the complexity of achieving high air pressure increases
Solution Approach 1:
The invention uses a dynamic valve opening mechanism where the valve element is held closed by a spring and opens when air pressure exceeds a threshold. This allows the system to automatically generate the necessary high pressure for complete dispensing without requiring complex external pressure generation systems, as the pressure builds naturally during the actuation stroke.
Solution Approach 2:
The valve system is self-actuating: air pressure from the expeller automatically opens the valve when sufficient pressure is reached, eliminating the need for separate control mechanisms. The spring-loaded valve design ensures that opening occurs at the precise moment when adequate pressure is available, simplifying the overall system.
3Ease of operation
If the air expeller is actuated manually by the patient, then the ease of operation is improved, but the ability to achieve relatively high air pressure becomes limited
Solution Approach 1:
The spring-loaded valve element is pre-compressed during the actuation stroke before opening. As the user pushes the actuator, the spring compresses and stores energy, building air pressure in advance. The valve opens only when the pre-compressed spring force is overcome by air pressure, ensuring that maximum pressure is achieved at the moment of dispensing despite manual actuation.
Solution Approach 2:
The manual actuation creates a periodic compression cycle: the user pushes the actuator to compress the spring and build pressure, then releases it to allow the spring to reset. This periodic action allows sufficient pressure buildup during the compression phase while maintaining ease of operation through simple push-release motion.
4Reliability
If a rod passes through the reservoir to mechanically expel the closure ball, then the reliability of closure opening is improved, but the working volume of the reservoir is limited and it becomes more difficult to fill
Solution Approach 1:
The invention replaces the mechanical rod-expel mechanism with a pneumatic valve system. Air pressure from the expeller directly acts on the valve element to open the valve and allow powder dispensing. This eliminates the need for a physical rod passing through the reservoir, maximizing the reservoir's working volume and simplifying the filling process while maintaining reliable opening through pressure-driven valve actuation.
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 device is simple to manufacture, assemble, and use, allowing for multiple uses with different reservoirs, reducing material waste, and ensuring precise and efficient fluid dispensing with controlled air pressure, while maintaining ecological and economic benefits.
Implementation Method 1
a flow of air under pressure generated by an air expeller
Implementation Method 2
the flow of air generated by the air expeller penetrates into the reservoir through the air inlet, and drives said fluid out from the reservoir
Data Source
AI summary
A fluid dispenser device having a dispenser head; an air expeller; and a reservoir containing a single dose of fluid. The reservoir includes a proximal axial end and a distal axial end, and is removably mounted so that after the device has been actuated, the empty reservoir can be removed from the device and replaced by a new full reservoir. The air expeller is adapted to return to its rest position to enable a new actuation with the new full reservoir. The dispenser head includes a proximal perforator tip to perforate the proximal axial end of the reservoir. The device includes a movable perforator member that slides axially around the dispenser head between a loading position and an actuation position and includes a distal perforator tip adapted to perforate the distal axial end of the reservoir when the movable perforator member is moved into its actuation position.