In-line Liquid Dispenser with Integrated Pump Plunger
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional hand-operated liquid dispensers, such as trigger sprayers, have a high manufacturing cost due to the large number of separate component parts, which increases production expenses even when produced in large quantities.
Innovation Solution
A simplified design for a hand-operated liquid dispenser with only five components, including a dispenser housing, pump chamber, vent chamber, liquid supply passage, flexible bulb with integral valves, pump plunger, and nozzle, aligned in a novel in-line construction to reduce the number of parts and manufacturing costs, where the bulb acts as a spring and the valves control liquid flow.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of manufacture
If conventional trigger sprayer design is used, then liquid dispensing function is achieved, but manufacturing cost increases due to large number of component parts
Solution Approach 1:
The patent combines multiple separate components into integrated assemblies. The pump chamber and vent chamber are merged into a single housing structure, check valves are integrated into the liquid supply passage, and the nozzle assembly is pre-assembled with the liquid discharge passage. This merging reduces the total number of discrete parts while maintaining all necessary functions.
Solution Approach 2:
The dispenser is segmented into five major assemblies that can be manufactured separately and then assembled: housing assembly, pump plunger assembly, flexible bulb assembly, nozzle assembly, and cap assembly. This segmentation allows for simplified manufacturing of each component and easier final assembly, reducing overall complexity.
2Reliability
If multiple separate component parts are used, then functional requirements are met, but production expenses increase
Solution Approach 1:
Critical functional components are merged into integrated assemblies. The check valves are integrated directly into the liquid supply passage, eliminating separate valve bodies and connections. The nozzle assembly combines the liquid discharge passage, spinner, and orifice into a single pre-assembled unit, ensuring proper alignment and function while reducing part count.
3Ease of operation
If conventional multi-component design is used, then liquid flow control is achieved, but construction complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The pump chamber and vent chamber are merged into a single housing with integrated functionality. The flexible bulb assembly combines the diaphragm, check valves, and liquid supply passage into one integrated component, simplifying the overall construction while maintaining precise liquid flow control through the pump mechanism.
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 reduced number of components results in lower manufacturing costs and a more straightforward construction that is easy to handle and operate, while maintaining functionality with adjustable liquid discharge patterns.
Implementation Method 1
A flexible bulb is provided in the pump chamber for biasing the pump plunger in an outward direction from the pump chamber
Implementation Method 2
A liquid discharge passage extends through the pump plunger and communicates the pump chamber with a liquid discharge orifice on the pump plunger
Data Source
AI summary
A hand operated liquid dispenser has a simplified, in-line construction that reduces the number of component parts of the dispenser and thereby reduces the dispenser's manufacturing costs. The in-line construction of the liquid dispenser coaxially aligns a liquid discharge orifice, a liquid discharge passage, and a pump chamber of the dispenser. The construction provides a compact liquid dispenser that can be easily held in one hand by a user and manipulated by the fingers of the user's hand to pump liquid from a bottle attached to the liquid dispenser and dispense the liquid in a variety of different discharge patterns.