Piston Squeeze Pump Structure for One-Handed Paste Dispensing
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing containers for semi-solid substances like toothpaste and ointment require two hands to use as the substance moves around and becomes difficult to extract as it decreases, leading to inconvenience.
Innovation Solution
A squeeze pump with an elastic deformable container body and a piston that divides the cavity into medium and gas compartments, using one-way valves to control air flow and ensure the piston slides to maintain substance in the medium cavity, allowing one-handed use and preventing leakage.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If a traditional soft tube container is used, then the structure is simple and cost is low, but two hands are required to squeeze out the pasty substance as it decreases
Solution Approach 1:
The container is segmented into two functional cavities: a medium cavity for holding the pasty substance and a gas cavity for maintaining pressure. The piston divides these cavities, allowing the gas cavity to push the piston and maintain pressure on the pasty substance, enabling one-handed operation while keeping the overall structure relatively simple
Solution Approach 2:
The piston acts as an intermediary element between the gas cavity and the medium cavity. It transmits the pressure from the gas cavity to the pasty substance, ensuring controlled dispensing while preventing direct mixing of gas and paste. This intermediary mechanism enables the complex function of pressure maintenance without requiring complex valve systems
2Stability of the object's composition
If a traditional soft tube container is used, then the structure is simple, but the pasty substance moves around chaotically inside the container
Solution Approach 1:
By dividing the container into separate medium and gas cavities with a piston, the pasty substance is confined to the medium cavity and cannot move chaotically throughout the entire container. The segmentation maintains substance stability while preventing the messy movement described in the problem
Solution Approach 2:
The piston serves as a barrier that prevents the pasty substance from entering the gas cavity. This intermediary structure ensures the substance remains stable and contained in its designated cavity, eliminating the chaotic movement issue without requiring complex sealing mechanisms
3Productivity
If the pasty substance decreases, then it becomes easier to squeeze, but it becomes increasingly troublesome to squeeze out remaining pasty substance
Solution Approach 1:
The gas cavity is pre-filled with gas that maintains continuous pressure on the piston, which in turn maintains pressure on the pasty substance throughout its entire lifecycle in the container. This preliminary pressure maintenance ensures that even when the substance decreases, the remaining paste continues to be pushed toward the outlet, making it as easy to dispense as when the container was full
Solution Approach 2:
As the pasty substance decreases and the piston moves, the gas cavity automatically adjusts by allowing more gas in through the one-way inlet valve. This feedback mechanism ensures continuous pressure maintenance on the remaining substance, keeping squeezing efficiency high throughout the entire usage period
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 enables one-handed extraction of semi-solid substances, maintains the substance in the medium cavity, and reduces leakage, enhancing user convenience and efficiency.
Implementation Method 1
a container body with an elastic deformability
Implementation Method 2
the piston is slidably provided inside the accommodation cavity and in a sealing fit with the container body
Implementation Method 3
a one-way inlet valve in communication with the gas cavity and configured to control that air enters into the gas cavity in one direction and avoid an escape of the air from the gas cavity
Data Source
AI summary
A squeeze pump includes a container body with an elastic deformability, and an accommodation cavity is formed inside the container body, a piston slidably provided inside the accommodation cavity and in a sealing fit with the container body, where the piston is configured to divide the accommodation cavity into a medium cavity and a gas cavity that do not communicate with each other, the medium cavity is configured to accommodate a pasty substance, and the medium cavity is in communication with a paste outlet, and a one-way inlet valve in communication with the gas cavity and configured to control that air enters into the gas cavity in one direction and avoid an escape of the air from the gas cavity.