Microporous Membrane Sealing Area Porosity Reduction for Storage Stability
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing membrane air fresheners with polyolefin monolithic membranes have limited efficiency and stability issues during storage due to high fragrance transportation through the sealing area, leading to evaporation and instability.
Innovation Solution
A device with a multilayer structure comprising a microporous membrane, a barrier layer, and a separation layer, where a polymeric sealing portion is introduced into the pores of the membrane to reduce porosity at the sealing area, preventing liquid transportation and ensuring stability during storage.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Productivity
If a microporous membrane with high transportation rate is used, then fragrance diffusion efficiency is improved, but liquid evaporation through the sealing area increases during storage
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies different properties to different parts of the membrane: the active diffusion area maintains high porosity for efficient fragrance transport, while the sealing area has reduced porosity to prevent liquid evaporation. This local differentiation resolves the contradiction by optimizing each region for its specific function.
Solution Approach 2:
The membrane is segmented into distinct functional zones: a sealing portion with reduced porosity for stability during storage, and an active diffusion area with high porosity for efficient fragrance release during use. This segmentation allows simultaneous optimization of both storage stability and diffusion efficiency.
2Ease of manufacture
If a polyolefin monolithic membrane is used, then ease of manufacture is improved, but fragrance transportation efficiency is limited
Solution Approach 1:
The patent uses a composite membrane structure combining polyolefin material with controlled microporosity. This composite approach maintains the manufacturing advantages of polyolefin while enabling high fragrance transportation rates through optimized pore structure, resolving the contradiction between ease of manufacture and transportation efficiency.
Solution Approach 2:
The invention employs a microporous polyolefin membrane that combines the ease of polyolefin manufacturing with enhanced fragrance transport capability. The controlled porosity allows high diffusion efficiency while maintaining manufacturing simplicity, resolving the contradiction between these two parameters.
3Ease of operation
If the sealing area is made open for liquid transport, then capillary action is improved, but storage stability is compromised
Solution Approach 1:
The membrane structure dynamically adapts its porosity based on operational state: during storage, the sealing area's reduced porosity prevents evaporation and maintains stability; during use, the structure allows capillary action to transport liquid. This dynamic behavior resolves the contradiction between transport capability and storage stability.
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 solution effectively reduces liquid transportation through the sealing area, enhancing the stability and refill integrity of volatile substances during storage, while allowing efficient fragrance diffusion upon use.
Implementation Method 1
a microporous membrane through which the volatile substances are diffused
Implementation Method 2
Being a micro porous system that works by capillarity, the portion in contact with the sealing are is able to transport the liquid without any limitations along distances of several millimeters
Data Source
AI summary
A device for diffusion of volatile substances that includes a container for containing volatile substances, including the container, an aperture defining a sealing area, and a multilayer structure placed on the aperture. The multilayer structure includes a microporous membrane through which the volatile substances are diffused and a barrier layer that is removed before a first use. The multilayer structure also includes a sealing portion in contact with the sealing area. A device with a microporous membrane where the porosity of the membrane at the portion of the sealing area has been substantially reduced or eliminated to stop liquid transportation.