Inductive Fluid Reservoir Heating for Residue-Free Viscous Dispensing
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing dispensers for viscous fluids, such as soap and personal lubricants, face issues with residual fluid left in the dispenser, leading to contamination, waste, and inefficiency in dispensing, particularly when heating the fluid prior to use is desired.
Innovation Solution
A motion- and/or proximity-activated dispenser with a heating element that warms the fluid before dispensing, featuring a housing with a controller, actuator, and temperature-control element to ensure efficient and hygienic dispensing of viscous fluids without residual waste.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Duration of action of stationary object
If a large reservoir is used to store viscous fluid, then the fluid supply duration is extended, but residual fluid remains in the dispenser causing contamination and waste
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts the fluid dispensing function from the reservoir itself by using a separate plunger mechanism that pushes fluid through a valve system. The reservoir becomes a simple storage container while the dispensing mechanism (plunger, valve, actuator) handles the actual fluid ejection, allowing complete evacuation of the reservoir without leaving residual fluid in the storage chamber.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent introduces a valve as an intermediary component between the reservoir and the dispensing outlet. The valve controls fluid flow and can be positioned to allow complete drainage of the reservoir while preventing backflow and contamination, thus eliminating residual fluid waste without compromising the large storage capacity.
2Object-affected harmful factors
If motion-activated dispensing is used, then hygiene is improved by reducing contact, but residual fluid left in the dispenser becomes messy and non-hygienic
Solution Approach 1:
The patent separates the fluid storage function from the dispensing mechanism, allowing the reservoir to be completely emptied through the plunger-valve system. This extraction of the dispensing function enables motion-activated operation while ensuring no residual fluid remains in the reservoir to cause contamination or hygiene issues.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent design allows for complete depletion of the reservoir contents, making the fluid supply effectively single-use or easily replaceable. The system can fully dispense the fluid volume and then be quickly replaced or refilled, eliminating the need to deal with residual fluid and maintaining hygiene in motion-activated operation.
3Productivity
If heating element is added to warm viscous fluid, then dispensing efficiency is improved, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent combines the heating element with the existing plunger-valve actuation system. The heating element is integrated into the mechanism that already moves the plunger, utilizing the same actuator or control system to both heat the fluid and drive the dispensing action, thereby improving dispensing efficiency without proportionally increasing device complexity.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent makes the actuator system multi-functional by using it for both heating the viscous fluid and mechanically driving the plunger to dispense the fluid. This universal use of the actuation mechanism improves dispensing efficiency for viscous fluids while avoiding the need for separate heating and dispensing systems, thus limiting the increase in device complexity.
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 dispenser effectively heats and dispenses viscous fluids, reducing contamination and waste while maintaining hygiene by using a controlled actuation system that minimizes fluid contact with the dispenser's perimeter, ensuring efficient use of the fluid and easy cleaning.
Implementation Method 1
a temperature-control element in thermal contact with the cavity or otherwise placed to heat the fluid reservoir. The temperature-control element is preferably a heating element, such as a resistance heater.
Implementation Method 2
Inductively heatable fluid reservoir
Data Source
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AI summary
A fluid reservoir includes a reservoir body, a heating structure, a piston, and an outlet port. The reservoir body includes a cross section, and a translation axis. The cross section is uniform along the translation axis. When fluid is housed in the reservoir, the heating structure is thermally coupled to the fluid. The heating structure energizes the fluid housed in the reservoir. The piston translates along the translation axis. An available volume of the reservoir to house the fluid is defined by a distance between the piston and an end of the reservoir body. When the piston is translated along the translation axis toward the end, a volume of the fluid that has been energized by the heating structure flows from the reservoir and through the outlet port. The volume of energized fluid is linearly proportional to a length of the translation of the piston.