Microporous Membrane Volatile Delivery System
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Existing methods for delivering volatile materials to the atmosphere suffer from issues such as susceptibility to de-lamination and leakage, uneven fragrance release, and limited diffusion of low vapor pressure materials, leading to inconsistent scent longevity and intensity.
Innovation Solution
A delivery system featuring a reservoir with a volatile material mixture, a microporous membrane with an average pore size of 0.01 to 0.03 microns, and a rupturable substrate, where the microporous membrane is compressed to breach the substrate and control the release of volatile materials, ensuring continuous and uniform emission over an extended period.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Duration of action of stationary object
If a polymeric sheet or membrane is used to deliver volatile materials, then the volatile materials can be delivered continuously, but the system becomes susceptible to de-lamination and leakage
Solution Approach 1:
The system divides the volatile material delivery function into separate components: a reservoir for storing the volatile material, a microporous membrane for controlled release, and a rupturable substrate for activation. This segmentation eliminates the need for barrier layers that cause de-lamination, while maintaining continuous delivery capability through the microporous membrane's inherent porosity.
Solution Approach 2:
The invention extracts the barrier layer from the system entirely, replacing it with a microporous membrane that inherently controls volatile material release through its pore structure. This eliminates the de-lamination issue associated with barrier layers while maintaining reliable, continuous delivery.
2Reliability
If a barrier layer is used to prevent premature release, then volatile materials are contained during storage, but volatile materials build up in the membrane resulting in a spike in intensity immediately after barrier removal
Solution Approach 1:
The microporous membrane is pre-positioned in contact with the volatile material during storage, but the rupturable substrate prevents premature release. Upon activation, the substrate ruptures and allows the volatile material to gradually equilibrate with the membrane, preventing both premature release and intense spikes by controlling the transition phase.
Solution Approach 2:
The microporous membrane's pore structure (0.01 to 0.03 microns) provides inherent rate control for volatile material diffusion. This porous structure allows gradual equilibration of volatile materials after activation, preventing intense spikes while maintaining reliable containment during storage through the rupturable substrate.
3Duration of action of stationary object
If a polymeric membrane is used for delivery, then continuous release is achieved, but low vapor pressure volatile materials do not easily diffuse through the polymer
Solution Approach 1:
The microporous membrane with pore sizes of 0.01 to 0.03 microns provides physical pathways that allow low vapor pressure volatile materials to diffuse through more easily than through non-porous polymeric membranes. The porous structure reduces resistance to diffusion while maintaining continuous release capability, thereby improving productivity for low vapor pressure materials.
Solution Approach 2:
The system uses a composite structure combining a microporous membrane with specific pore characteristics and a rupturable substrate. This composite approach optimizes both continuous release and diffusion of low vapor pressure materials by selecting appropriate pore sizes and structural properties that facilitate molecular transport while maintaining delivery control.
4Manufacturing precision
If a rupturable substrate is compressed to breach and control release, then uniform emission is achieved, but the device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The invention merges the activation mechanism and the delivery control function into a single integrated component: the compressed microporous membrane serves both as the activation element (breaching the substrate) and as the controlled release element. This merging reduces device complexity while maintaining uniform emission through the structured compression process.
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 system provides a continuous, uniform release of volatile materials with broad molecular weight and vapor pressure ranges, maintaining fragrance intensity for up to several weeks without leakage or damage concerns, effectively addressing previous limitations.
Implementation Method 1
a microporous membrane enclosing the reservoir, wherein the microporous membrane comprises an average pore size of about 0.01 to about 0.03 microns
Implementation Method 2
delivering a volatile material to the atmosphere in a continuous manner
Data Source
AI summary
A method of delivering a volatile material to the atmosphere in a continuous manner is disclosed. The method includes providing a delivery engine having a reservoir that includes a volatile material mixture. The volatile material mixture includes about 40% to about 100%, by total weight, of the volatile materials each having a vapor pressure at 25° C. of less than about 0.1 torr. The delivery system also includes a microporous membrane enclosing the reservoir, wherein the microporous membrane comprises an average pore size of about 0.01 to about 0.03 microns.