Hollow Piston Dosing System for Accurate Cleaning Solution Dispensing

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Solution Overview

Problem

Existing dosing systems for commercial cleaning are complex, impractical, and lead to inaccurate and inconsistent dosing of cleaning solutions on mop covers, which can result in inadequate dirt pickup, surface damage, and fiber wear, especially in clinical or clean room environments.

Innovation Solution

A structurally simple dosing system featuring a storage volume with a hollow piston that moves between two positions, allowing controlled dosing of cleaning solution, eliminating the risk of overdosing or underdosing, and utilizing a mechanically operated mechanism that avoids electrical components and complex structures.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Quantity of substance

If a pressure plate mechanism is used to release cleaning solution from a storage tank, then cleaning solution can be released from the reservoir, but accurate dosing becomes difficult as the user presses the pressure plate

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvecleaning solution releaseVSAvoiddosing accuracy
Core Design Contradiction:
Quantity of substanceVSMeasurement precision

Solution Approach 1:

The hollow piston is pre-filled with a predetermined amount of cleaning solution before use. The piston is inserted into the storage tank, and the cleaning solution is transferred to the piston in advance, so that the exact dosage is already prepared before the dosing operation begins.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #10Preliminary action

Solution Approach 2:

The manual pressure plate mechanism is replaced with a gravity-based automatic dispensing system. The hollow piston uses gravitational force to automatically release the predetermined amount of cleaning solution without requiring manual pressing, eliminating the imprecision caused by variable user pressure.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #28Mechanics substitution (Replace mechanical system)

2Measurement precision

If a complex valve system with multiple moving parts is used to regulate cleaning solution flow, then dosing can be controlled, but the device complexity increases and cleanability deteriorates

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvedosing controlVSAvoidstructure complexity
Core Design Contradiction:
Measurement precisionVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The complex valve system with multiple moving parts is completely removed from the design. Instead, a simple hollow piston with a single opening at its lower end is used, which allows cleaning solution to flow out through gravity without requiring any valves, levers, or complex regulating mechanisms.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #2Taking out (Extraction)

Solution Approach 2:

The hollow piston automatically dispenses the predetermined amount of cleaning solution through its simple opening without requiring any active control mechanisms. The system uses the weight of the cleaning solution itself to drive the dispensing process, eliminating the need for complex valve systems.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #25Self-service

3Quantity of substance

If a scooping device is lifted above the cleaning solution surface to provide a specific volume, then a specific volume of cleaning solution is made available, but movement of the scoop volume leads to spattering and messy work

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvespecific volume dosingVSAvoidspattering and mess
Core Design Contradiction:
Quantity of substanceVSObject-affected harmful factors

Solution Approach 1:

Instead of lifting the cleaning solution upward out of the storage tank (which causes spattering), the hollow piston is inverted and allowed to drain downward through gravity. The cleaning solution flows out from the lower opening of the piston in a controlled downward motion, eliminating splashing and mess.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #13The other way round (Inversion)

Solution Approach 2:

The system uses gravitational hydraulic flow to dispense the cleaning solution. The hollow piston acts as a gravity-fed dispenser, allowing the cleaning solution to flow out smoothly through its weight, rather than requiring mechanical lifting that causes turbulence and spattering.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #29Pneumatics and hydraulics

4Ease of operation

If mop covers are dipped into an open container of cleaning solution, then moistening at the place of use is achieved, but inaccurate and inconsistent amounts of detergent are applied

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvemoistening at point of useVSAvoiddetergent amount consistency
Core Design Contradiction:
Ease of operationVSMeasurement precision

Solution Approach 1:

The hollow piston creates a standardized, repeatable dosing template. Each time the piston is inserted into the storage tank, it automatically transfers the exact same predetermined volume of cleaning solution, creating a consistent copy of the correct dosage amount, unlike manual dipping which varies each time.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #26Copying

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 ensures accurate and consistent dosing of cleaning solutions, preventing surface damage and fiber wear, while being easy to use and maintain, meeting the hygiene standards of clean rooms.

Implementation Method 1

a hollow piston (5) guided movably in it, with a cavity (6) of the hollow piston (5) in a first position (7) accessible from the storage volume (2) and the cavity (6) of the hollow piston (5) in a second position (8) connected to an environment of the dosing system (1)

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectGravity: Gravitation

Data Source

PatentEP3491992B1Dosing system and dosing process
Publication Date: 2020.05.27 PFENNIG REINIGUNGSTECHNIK GMBH
  • EP3491992B1 patent drawingFigure 1
  • EP3491992B1 patent drawingFigure 2
  • EP3491992B1 patent drawingFigure 3a~3c

AI summary

The present invention relates to a dosing system (1) for cleaning fluids in the field of commercial cleaning comprising a storage volume (2) and a dosing device (3) arranged on the storage volume (2) as well as a corresponding dosing method.