Porous Medium Gradient for Self-Priming Spray Flow
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing fluid feed systems for electronic spray heads face challenges in delivering high flow rates in multiple orientations without manual priming and minimizing residual fluid, while also preventing air ingestion from blocking the fluid supply.
Innovation Solution
A fluid feed system utilizing a porous medium with a decreasing effective pore size and permeability towards the spray head, combined with an air removal pathway, to maintain fluidic pathways and achieve higher flow rates while managing air ingestion.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If porous media ( e.g. , wicks ) are used to deliver fluid to electronic spray heads, then the system becomes self-priming, but the flow rate is limited to relatively low levels and the range of effective orientations is restricted
Solution Approach 1:
The patent uses a porous medium ( e.g. , foam) with controlled pore size and distribution to enable capillary action for self-priming while maintaining high flow rates. The porous material is selected and configured to balance capillary rise capability with permeability for high flow, resolving the contradiction between self-priming and flow rate performance.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent optimizes parameters of the porous medium including pore size distribution, porosity, and material composition to achieve both self-priming capability and high flow rate. By carefully controlling these parameters, the system overcomes the limitation of low flow rates associated with traditional wick-based porous media.
2Adaptability or versatility
If porous media are used to increase the range of orientations, then spray delivery degrades over time as fluid reduces and high levels of residual fluid remain
Solution Approach 1:
The patent employs a porous medium with specific pore size characteristics that balance capillary action for multi-orientation operation with fluid release capability. The pore structure is designed to prevent excessive fluid retention while maintaining operational effectiveness in various orientations, thereby reducing residual fluid.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent creates non-uniform pore size distribution within the porous medium, with different regions having different pore characteristics optimized for their specific functions. This local variation in pore quality enables the material to both maintain multi-orientation capability and facilitate complete fluid dispensing.
3Quantity of substance
If air inlet path is provided in the upper region of the reservoir, then air can replace fluid as reservoir empties, but air may be ingested into the porous medium and block fluidic pathways
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts or removes the air inlet function from the upper region of the reservoir and relocates it to the lower region. This separation of functions prevents air from entering the porous medium and blocking fluidic pathways while still allowing air to replace fluid as the reservoir empties.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent inverts the conventional location of the air inlet from the upper region to the lower region of the reservoir. This inversion changes the flow pattern so that air enters at the bottom and rises through the fluid, preventing air ingestion into the porous medium at the spray head.
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 system ensures consistent spray performance across various orientations, reduces residual fluid, and enhances flow rates by optimizing pore size and permeability gradients, while preventing air from blocking the fluid supply to the spray head.
Implementation Method 1
a porous medium to assist in feeding fluid to the spray head
Implementation Method 2
the porous medium is saturated with fluid
Implementation Method 3
porous medium with a decreasing effective pore size and permeability towards the spray head
Data Source
AI summary
A fluid spray dispenser (2) having a fluid reservoir (20) for holding a fluid to be dispensed, a spray head (23) for dispensing the fluid and a porous medium (24) through which the fluid passes from the reservoir (20) to the spray head (23). The porous medium (24) has an effective pore size and/or permeability that decreases towards the spray head (23). Means and methods of creating the pore size and/or permeability gradients are discussed.