Polymer Pump Dispenser Rotational Lock and Sealing
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current pump dispensers face challenges in e-commerce shipping due to leakage from vibration and lack of recyclable materials, requiring external sealing plugs that are costly and difficult to remove, and lack a simple rotational lock for seamless activation.
Innovation Solution
A recyclable polymeric pump dispenser design featuring a resilient bellows, a free-floating plug seal, and a flap valve, with a sinuous formation on the closure insert that dislodges the plug for actuation, eliminating the need for external seals and providing a rotational lock for secure operation.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If external sealing plugs are used to prevent leakage during e-commerce shipping, then sealing reliability is improved, but device complexity and manufacturing cost increase
Solution Approach 1:
The sealing function is extracted from an external plug component and integrated into the pump dispenser's internal structure through the closure insert with sinuous formation. The closure insert itself becomes the sealing element, eliminating the need for separate external sealing plugs and reducing device complexity while maintaining sealing reliability during e-commerce shipping.
Solution Approach 2:
The sealing function is merged with the closure insert structure. The closure insert combines both the closure function and the sealing function in a single integrated component, eliminating the need for separate sealing plugs and reducing the number of parts while ensuring reliable sealing during transportation.
2Reliability
If external sealing plugs are used to prevent leakage during e-commerce shipping, then sealing reliability is improved, but manufacturing cost increases
Solution Approach 1:
The sealing function is extracted from a separate external plug component and integrated into the closure insert structure. This integration eliminates the need for additional sealing plug components, reducing part count and manufacturing cost while maintaining reliable sealing during e-commerce shipping through the sinuous formation design.
Solution Approach 2:
The sealing function is merged with the closure insert, creating a single integrated component that performs both closure and sealing functions. This reduces the total number of parts that need to be manufactured, assembled, and inventoried, thereby reducing manufacturing cost while ensuring reliable sealing.
3Reliability
If external sealing plugs are positioned on the exterior of the pump, then sealing reliability is improved, but ease of operation deteriorates due to difficulty of removal and reinstallation
Solution Approach 1:
The sealing function is merged with the closure insert structure, creating an integrated component that eliminates the need for separate external plugs. The sinuous formation in the closure insert provides sealing reliability while the integrated design ensures ease of operation by eliminating separate removal and reinstallation steps for sealing components.
4Reliability
If a rotational lock mechanism is added to prevent unwanted actuation, then reliability is improved, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The rotational lock function is merged with the closure insert structure through the sinuous formation design. The sinuous formation acts as both a sealing mechanism and a rotational lock, preventing unwanted actuation while maintaining simple device architecture. The integrated design provides reliability without increasing device complexity.
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 design ensures secure sealing and reduced mass, allowing for e-commerce shipping without additional packaging, simplifies user experience, and enables seamless activation while being fully recyclable without disassembly.
Implementation Method 1
a resilient bellows, a free-floating plug seal
Implementation Method 2
a sinuous formation such as a groove or ridge formed on the lower reaches of the closure insert changes the elevation of the insert relative to the closure and, in so doing, causes the plug seal to become dislodged
Data Source
Figure 1
Figure 2A~2B
Figure 3A~3B
AI summary
A pump (10) constructed entirely from a polymeric material is described. The pump (10) includes an internal sealing plug (40) and adaptable insert coupled to a resilient bellows structure. The plug (40) includes a keyed feature that allows for selective sealing at the lower end of the pump chamber (60) depending upon the rotational alignment of the actuator head and closure, owing to stopper mechanisms appropriately positioned along the peripheral interfacing surfaces of these components.