Rotating keyed dispensing cartridge system
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing fluid dispensers lack a keying or lockout arrangement to limit the shape and size of replaceable cartridges, allowing for improper coupling and inefficient fluid dispensation.
Innovation Solution
A dispenser with a keying arrangement using complementary key elements and keyways to align the piston and actuator mechanism, ensuring only specific shapes and sizes of cartridges can be coupled, featuring cam surfaces that rotate the piston to desired rotational positions for proper fluid direction.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If a simple coupling mechanism is used for removable cartridges, then ease of operation is improved, but reliability deteriorates due to improper coupling and incompatible cartridges
Solution Approach 1:
The patent employs asymmetric keying elements and keyways with specific geometric shapes that only match compatible cartridges. The key elements have unique profiles including varying radial extents, circumferential positions, and shapes that must correspond exactly between the actuator mechanism and cartridge, preventing improper coupling while maintaining simple operation for correct cartridges.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent utilizes parameter changes by varying the geometric parameters of key elements and keyways including radial extent, circumferential position, shape profile, and orientation angles. These parameter variations create a coding system where only cartridges with matching parameters can be properly coupled, ensuring reliability without complicating the replacement process for compatible units.
2Reliability
If a keying arrangement with multiple key elements is implemented, then reliability is improved by limiting cartridge compatibility, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent uses asymmetric key elements and keyways with unique geometric profiles that simplify the overall design compared to symmetric multi-point locking mechanisms. The asymmetric shapes provide multiple engagement points and orientation constraints in a single integrated structure, achieving reliable compatibility control without proportionally increasing complexity.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent merges multiple keying functions into unified key elements and keyways that simultaneously provide rotational alignment, radial positioning, and compatibility verification. This consolidation reduces the number of separate components needed compared to traditional multi-element locking systems, maintaining simplicity while ensuring reliable cartridge identification and coupling.
3Manufacturing precision
If cam surfaces are added to rotate the piston to desired positions, then fluid dispensation precision is improved, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements preliminary action by pre-configuring cam surfaces with specific profiles that automatically rotate the piston to the correct angular position during the cartridge insertion process. The cam surfaces are designed with predetermined geometries that guide the piston through the rotation sequence, eliminating the need for separate rotation control mechanisms and reducing overall system complexity.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent applies self-service by designing the cam surface-piston interaction to automatically achieve proper rotational alignment without external intervention. The cam profiles are shaped to engage with corresponding features on the piston, causing self-alignment and rotation to the desired orientation simply through the insertion motion, thereby improving precision without adding complex control systems.
Data Source
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AI summary
A piston (57) of a piston pump adapted to be selectively coaxially slidably coupled to a complementary actuator mechanism (32) by a keying arrangement utilizing one or more key elements engaging with one or more keyways, to place the piston and actuator mechanism in rotational alignment about the axis (66) and with keying involving complementary circumferential location of keying elements and keyways, complementary radial extents of key members and keyways relative the axis, and/or complementary shapes for the key elements and keyways normal the axis.