Piston-Driven Cleaning Device for Contact Lenses
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Existing methods for cleaning delicate objects like contact lenses, such as those using cavitation, are complex, unreliable, energy-intensive, and generate undesirable effects due to their reliance on multiple pumping systems and rotors, leading to inefficiencies and hygiene issues.
Innovation Solution
A cleaning device and method that utilize cycles of sudden pressure releases within an enclosure to create motion of fluids, gases, or pastes, employing a piston-driven mechanism with a motor and an outlet valve to reduce and suddenly increase pressure, allowing for effective cleaning without the need for complex mechanisms or high energy consumption.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Manufacturing precision
If cavitation-based cleaning systems are used, then high cleaning effectiveness is achieved, but device complexity and energy consumption increase significantly
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts the essential cleaning function from complex cavitation systems by using a simple piston-driven pressure cycle. Instead of maintaining continuous high-energy cavitation, the invention uses periodic pressure releases to generate fluid motion and cleaning action, eliminating the need for complex pumping systems and rotors while preserving cleaning effectiveness.
Solution Approach 2:
The invention inverts the conventional approach by using pressure reduction and sudden release rather than continuous high-pressure application. The piston increases enclosure volume to reduce pressure, then sudden release creates fluid motion for cleaning, achieving the opposite of traditional pressurized systems and thereby simplifying the overall device architecture.
2Manufacturing precision
If multiple pumping systems and rotors are used, then cleaning performance is improved, but reliability decreases due to more components
Solution Approach 1:
The patent removes unnecessary components (multiple pumps, rotors, complex ducts) and retains only the essential piston mechanism. This extraction of essential function reduces component count and eliminates failure points associated with complex subsystems, thereby improving reliability while maintaining cleaning performance through the simplified pressure-cycle mechanism.
Solution Approach 2:
The invention merges multiple functions (pressure generation, fluid circulation, cleaning) into a single piston-driven system. The piston simultaneously creates pressure differential, drives fluid motion, and enables cleaning action, eliminating the need for separate pumping systems and rotors, thus improving reliability through functional integration.
3Productivity
If continuous high energy input is applied, then cleaning speed is increased, but energy consumption becomes excessive
Solution Approach 1:
The patent employs periodic pressure cycles instead of continuous high-energy input. The piston operates in cycles of volume increase (pressure reduction) and sudden release, creating intermittent but effective fluid motion. This periodic action maintains cleaning speed by repeating effective cleaning pulses while dramatically reducing average energy consumption compared to continuous systems.
Solution Approach 2:
The invention changes the pressure parameter dynamically through piston movement, creating sudden pressure releases that drive fluid motion and cleaning action. By varying pressure rather than maintaining constant high energy input, the system achieves effective cleaning speed while reducing overall energy consumption through efficient use of pressure differential.
4Manufacturing precision
If complex mechanisms with many connections are used, then cleaning capability is enhanced, but ease of manufacture and operation deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts the core cleaning function from complex mechanisms with multiple connections, retaining only the essential piston-enclosure-valve system. By removing unnecessary intermediate components and direct connections, the invention simplifies manufacturing while preserving cleaning capability through the fundamental pressure-cycle mechanism that generates effective fluid motion.
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 achieves efficient and effective cleaning in a short time with minimal bulk and cost, using a simple motor-driven system that consumes less energy and avoids the violent effects of cavitation, ensuring thorough cleaning without the need for complex setups.
Implementation Method 1
subjecting the enclosure containing the object to be cleaned, to cycles of sudden pressure releases, causing a particular motion of fluid, gaseous, liquid and even pasty, within the enclosure
Implementation Method 2
This solution is based on a device having a chamber that can accommodate a contact lens... This device operates on the basis of the cavitation phenomena
Data Source
AI summary
A cleaning device comprising an enclosure, a cover allowing it to be opened in order to place an object to be cleaned within the enclosure, a supply of cleaning fluid, the enclosure comprising a piston that can move thanks to a motor, a geometry allowing a contact with an external fluid reservoir when the piston occupies a certain position within the enclosure in order to generate a sudden release of pressure, the device comprising an outlet valve remaining closed when the piston increases the volume of the enclosure so as to cause the pressure reduction within the enclosures.