Piercing Nozzle Retention Shelf for Unobstructed Viscous Flow
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing dispensing devices for viscous materials face issues such as worker injuries from using sharp tools to open collapsible tubes and obstruction of material flow due to lodged thin film material or metal clips, especially with high viscosity products.
Innovation Solution
A nozzle with piercing projections that pierce the collapsible tube and a retention shelf to ensure unobstructed flow, along with a design that allows flexible dispensing angles and compatibility with both collapsible and cartridge forms.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Object-affected harmful factors
If piercing features are added to eliminate sharp tools, then worker safety is improved, but material flow obstruction occurs due to lodged thin film material or metal clips
Solution Approach 1:
The nozzle interior surface is segmented into multiple functional zones: piercing features for safety, retention features (ledges or protrusions) for capturing debris, and a clear flow path for material. This segmentation allows each zone to perform its specific function without interfering with others, resolving the contradiction between safety and flow reliability.
Solution Approach 2:
Retention features act as an intermediary element between the piercing features and the material flow path. These features capture and hold the thin film material and metal clips that are displaced by piercing, preventing them from obstructing the flow while allowing the piercing features to continue their safety function.
2Ease of operation
If piercing tips protrude through the inlet end, then tube piercing is enabled, but thin film material and metal clips become lodged in the nozzle
Solution Approach 1:
The retention features extract and remove the harmful debris (thin film material and metal clips) from the potential flow path by providing dedicated retention zones where these materials can be captured and held, preventing them from traveling further into the nozzle and obstructing material flow.
3Reliability
If the outlet end is made sufficiently large, then metal tie clip passage is enabled, but material flow control is reduced
Solution Approach 1:
The nozzle exhibits local quality variations: the outlet end is sufficiently large to allow metal tie clip passage, while the interior flow path maintains appropriate dimensions for material flow control. The retention features provide localized debris capture zones, allowing different parts of the nozzle to have different functional characteristics optimized for their specific purposes.
Data Source
AI summary
The invention relates to a nozzle having a piercing projection for safe and efficient release of viscous material from a collapsible tube sealed at a front end and a rear end by tie clips when housed within a dispensing tool. The piercing projection extends from the nozzle interior surface. The piercing projection is arranged to pierce the front end of the collapsible tube along a tear line to form a flap of the collapsible tube to which the front end tie clip remains attached. An upstanding wall extends from the nozzle interior surface to define a retention shelf between the upstanding wall and the nozzle interior surface. The retention shelf is configured to receive and retain therein the flap and the front end tie clip during dispensing to enable unobstructed flow of the viscous material through the dispensing end opening.