Foam Dispensing System with Pre-Compression Valve and Buffer Chamber
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional methods for dispensing direct-foam dishwashing products from spray bottles often result in inadequate surface coverage, non-lasting foam, and excessive product waste due to bounce back, which negatively impacts cleaning efficiency and user experience.
Innovation Solution
A dispensing system comprising a pump with a piston, a pre-compression valve, and a buffer chamber, along with a nozzle featuring swirl grooves and aeration openings, which controls dispensing pressure and foam formation to achieve a predetermined spray pattern, ensuring effective and uniform foam coverage with minimal bounce back.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Area of stationary object
If conventional spray bottles are used to dispense direct-foam dishwashing products, then the dispensing device is simple, but the surface coverage is inadequate and foam coverage is non-lasting
Solution Approach 1:
The dispensing device is divided into multiple functional components: a pump mechanism with piston for controlled dispensing, a buffer chamber for foam expansion, a precompression valve for pressure regulation, and a specialized nozzle with aeration openings. This segmentation allows each component to perform its specific function optimally, achieving both wide surface coverage and lasting foam coverage while maintaining reasonable device complexity.
Solution Approach 2:
The buffer chamber acts as an intermediary between the pump and the nozzle, allowing the liquid cleaning product to expand and form foam before being dispensed. This intermediary component transforms the liquid into a foam structure that provides better surface coverage and longer-lasting coverage compared to direct liquid spraying.
2Area of stationary object
If multiple spray actions are used to compensate for poor coverage, then coverage can be improved, but product bounce back increases and product is wasted
Solution Approach 1:
The precompression valve is pre-set with a specific cracking pressure (about 200 to 450 kPa) that automatically regulates the dispensing pressure. This preliminary pressure setting ensures that the foam is dispensed at the optimal pressure for single-action coverage, preventing bounce back and reducing the need for multiple spray actions, thereby minimizing product waste.
Solution Approach 2:
The dispensing system changes the physical parameters of the cleaning product by transforming liquid into foam through the buffer chamber and aeration openings. This parameter change (from liquid to foam) increases the surface area and coverage efficiency, allowing single-action dispensing to achieve adequate coverage without the need for repeated spraying that would cause product waste.
3Area of stationary object
If higher dispensing pressure is used to improve coverage, then foam coverage can be enhanced, but product bounce back increases
Solution Approach 1:
The precompression valve provides automatic feedback control by opening only when the pump chamber pressure exceeds its cracking pressure (about 200 to 450 kPa). This feedback mechanism ensures that the foam is dispensed at a controlled, optimal pressure range that provides good coverage without excessive pressure that would cause bounce back, thus eliminating the trade-off between coverage and bounce back.
4Stability of the object's composition
If liquid is sprayed in small droplets to improve foaming, then foaming is enhanced, but inhalation risk increases
Solution Approach 1:
The buffer chamber serves as an intermediary that allows the liquid to expand and form larger foam bubbles before dispensing, rather than creating fine mist droplets. The aeration openings in the nozzle further control the foam structure, creating visible foam bubbles that are less likely to be inhaled compared to fine liquid droplets, thus reducing inhalation risk while maintaining effective foaming.
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 system provides improved cleaning efficiency by ensuring good surface coverage and reduced product waste, with a narrow pressure bandwidth for uniform foam distribution and enhanced foaming, while preventing inhalation risks and minimizing product loss.
Implementation Method 1
a pump comprising a pump chamber in fluid communication with the container and a piston arranged in the pump chamber, the piston and pump chamber being movable with respect to one another
Implementation Method 2
the pre-compression valve and the buffer chamber are arranged to define lower and upper limits, respectively, of a dispensing pressure of the foam, the pre-compression valve having a cracking pressure of about 200 to 450 kPa (2 to 4.5 bar)
Implementation Method 3
a buffer comprising a buffer chamber connected to the outlet channel, the buffer chamber including a compressible variator arranged therein for varying the usable volume of the buffer chamber
Implementation Method 4
the nozzle has a divergent expansion area downstream of the nozzle opening, wherein the expansion area has aeration openings
Implementation Method 5
the nozzle has a divergent expansion area downstream of the nozzle opening, wherein the expansion area has aeration openings and is conical and has a top angle of between 20-120°
Data Source
Figure 1~2
Figure 3~4
Figure 5~6
AI summary
The invention relates to a system for dispensing liquid foam, in particular a direct foam cleaning product, comprising a container for the liquid and a dispensing apparatus connected to the container. Here, the dispensing apparatus comprises a pump comprising a pump chamber in fluid communication with the container and a piston arranged in the pump chamber, the piston and pump chamber being movable with respect to one another; an outlet channel connecting the pump chamber to a nozzle; a pre-compression valve arranged between the outlet channel and the nozzle; and a buffer comprising a buffer chamber connected to the outlet channel, the buffer chamber including a compressible variator arranged therein for varying the usable volume of the buffer chamber; wherein the nozzle, the buffer and the pump are configured and dimensioned such that the foam is dispensed in a predetermined spray pattern.