Intake Boot for Viscous Fluid Dispensing in Pump Bottles

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Solution Overview

Problem

Pump dispensers struggle to effectively dispense viscous fluids like lotions and creams when the bottle is nearly empty, leaving significant product residue due to the non-Newtonian nature of these fluids, which is particularly costly and inconvenient for designer toiletries.

Innovation Solution

The introduction of an intake boot with a tapered and stepped diameter design and a side port, made from a flexible elastomer, that fits onto the supply tube of pump dispensers, allowing for the efficient retrieval of remaining product by positioning it in a corner of the bottle where it can be easily tapped into the boot.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Loss of substance

If a conventional pump dispenser supply tube is used, then the dispenser can effectively dispense viscous fluids when the bottle is full, but significant product remains in the bottle when the pump begins to draw air

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveproduct wasteVSAvoiddispensing efficiency

Core Design Contradiction:

Loss of substanceVSProductivity

Solution Approach 1:

The supply tube is segmented into multiple sections: a rigid upper portion for structural support and connection, and a flexible lower portion (intake boot) that can be positioned and manipulated independently to access remaining product in the bottle corner

Inventive Principle:

Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

The intake boot extends the supply tube into a three-dimensional configuration that reaches into the corner of the bottle, utilizing the vertical and lateral dimensions to access product that would otherwise remain trapped at the bottom corner

Inventive Principle:

Principle #17Another dimension (Dimensionality change)

2Quantity of substance

If the supply tube draws air from the container, then the dispensing mechanism stops working, but a significant amount of product remains undispensed

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveproduct retrievalVSAvoiduser convenience

Core Design Contradiction:

Quantity of substanceVSEase of operation

Solution Approach 1:

The flexible intake boot allows the remaining product to be easily tapped into the boot through simple bottle manipulation, enabling the system to self-retrieve the product without requiring complex additional mechanisms or user effort

Inventive Principle:

Principle #25Self-service

3Ease of manufacture

If a rigid supply tube is used, then the structure is simple and easy to manufacture, but it cannot be positioned to retrieve remaining product from the bottle corner

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvemanufacturing simplicityVSAvoidpositioning flexibility

Core Design Contradiction:

Ease of manufactureVSAdaptability or versatility

Solution Approach 1:

The supply tube is divided into rigid and flexible sections, maintaining manufacturing simplicity for the rigid portion while adding positioning adaptability through the flexible intake boot portion

Inventive Principle:

Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

The intake boot is made from flexible material that can be formed into a boot-shaped structure, providing the necessary adaptability to reach into the bottle corner while remaining relatively simple to manufacture

Inventive Principle:

Principle #30Flexible shells and thin films

Data Source

PatentUS11351565B2Intake boot for household pump dispenser supply tube

Publication Date: 2022.06.07 J2 INNOVATIONS LLC

AI summary

An intake boot for pump dispensers is provided. The intake boot is reliably positioned into a lower corner of a bottle and allows toiletry products such as lotions or creams to be easily dispensed from the pump dispenser until the bottle is empty.