Perforated Bottle Cap for Controlled Shower Spray Dispensing
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing shower head fixtures do not provide a cap for attaching to a bottle and dispensing fluid through holes in the cap, limiting fluid flow control and conservation.
Innovation Solution
A cap with internal threads for engaging bottle threads, and a perforation tool with a cutting member to create holes for controlled fluid dispensing, along with a cover for sealing and a perforation tool to form the cap, allowing for adjustable flow rates and fluid conservation.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Loss of substance
If a cap is attached to a bottle to control fluid flow, then fluid conservation is improved, but the device complexity increases due to the need for a separate cap component with holes and threading
Solution Approach 1:
The cap is designed to combine multiple functions into a single component: fluid flow control through holes, attachment to the bottle via internal threads, and structural support through the perimeter wall extending from the top wall. This merging of functions reduces the need for separate components while achieving fluid conservation.
2Productivity
If holes are created in the cap for fluid dispensing, then fluid flow control is improved, but the manufacturing precision requirements increase due to the need for uniformly distributed holes
Solution Approach 1:
The perforation tool creates holes in the cap before the cap is attached to the bottle. This preliminary action allows for precise hole formation using the cutting member with spikes that pierce the cap material, ensuring uniform hole distribution and size without requiring high-precision post-attachment manufacturing processes.
Solution Approach 2:
The cutting member with spikes is designed to automatically create holes of consistent size and distribution as it is pressed into the cap material. The geometry of the spikes and their arrangement on the cutting member self-regulates the hole formation process, reducing the need for complex precision manufacturing equipment.
3Reliability
If internal threads are added to the perimeter wall for bottle attachment, then the reliability of attachment is improved, but the device complexity increases due to the additional threading feature
Solution Approach 1:
The internal threads are integrated directly into the perimeter wall of the cap, combining the attachment function with the structural support function of the perimeter wall. This eliminates the need for separate attachment mechanisms while ensuring reliable connection to the bottle through standard threading engagement.
4Ease of manufacture
If a perforation tool is used to create holes in the cap, then the ease of manufacture is improved, but the device complexity increases due to the need for a specialized tool with lever and cutting member
Solution Approach 1:
The perforation tool is designed to be manually operated without requiring complex machinery or automated systems. The lever mechanism provides mechanical advantage for the user to apply sufficient force to the cutting member, allowing the tool to self-perform the hole-piercing function through simple manual actuation.
Solution Approach 2:
The hole-creating function is extracted as a separate, specialized tool rather than being integrated into the cap manufacturing process itself. This allows the cap to be manufactured simply, then separately prepared with holes using the perforation tool, simplifying the overall manufacturing workflow despite the additional tool.
Data Source
AI summary
A fluid dispensing apparatus for dispensing fluid from a bottle includes a cap with a top wall and a perimeter wall. The perimeter wall is coupled to and extends away from the top wall. The top wall defines a plurality of holes which extend through the top wall, and the perimeter wall has internal threads shaped to engage external threads of the bottle. A perforation tool is disclosed for forming a fluid dispensing apparatus by perforating a cap. The tool includes a collar which clamps to the bottle, a cutting member for perforating the cap, and a lever to actuate the cutting member.