Pushbutton Swirl Chamber Polygonal Geometry High Viscosity Aerosol

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Solution Overview

Problem

Conventional push buttons for dispensing systems struggle with distributing aerosols of high viscosity products, such as lotions, as the viscoelastic behavior causes product adherence to the turbulence chamber, affecting the quality and uniformity of the aerosol dispersion.

Innovation Solution

A push button design featuring a swirl chamber with a polygonal geometry and multiple symmetrically arranged supply channels, along with a recess and specific nozzle geometry, which pre-fragments the product flow to ensure uniform spatial distribution of droplets, even for high viscosity products.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Manufacturing precision

If a conventional swirl chamber with transverse supply channels is used, then uniform aerosol distribution is achieved for low viscosity products, but product adherence occurs for high viscosity products

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveaerosol droplet uniformityVSAvoidproduct adherence to chamber
Core Design Contradiction:
Manufacturing precisionVSObject-generated harmful factors

Solution Approach 1:

The recess is positioned upstream of the swirl chamber to pre-fragment the product flow before it enters the main chamber. This preliminary action breaks up the cohesive structure of high viscosity products, preventing them from adhering to the chamber walls during subsequent rotation and dispensing.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #10Preliminary action

Solution Approach 2:

The upstream recess acts as a preliminary segmentation zone that divides the continuous product flow into smaller segments or droplets before they enter the main swirl chamber. This segmentation prevents the formation of large cohesive masses that would otherwise adhere to the chamber walls.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #1Segmentation

2Manufacturing precision

If multiple symmetrically arranged supply channels are used, then improved droplet calibration is achieved, but device complexity increases

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvedroplet calibrationVSAvoidchamber structure
Core Design Contradiction:
Manufacturing precisionVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

While the supply channels are symmetrically arranged for balanced flow distribution, the recess introduces an asymmetric element upstream. This combination allows precise droplet calibration through symmetric multi-channel supply while the asymmetric recess simplifies the overall structure by providing a single upstream modification rather than complex internal chamber features.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #4Asymmetry

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 achieves improved calibration and spatial distribution of aerosol droplets, maintaining quality and consistency across various product viscosities, including lotions, by pre-fragmenting the product flow and ensuring uniform droplet size and distribution.

Implementation Method 1

the tangential supply of the swirl chamber makes it possible to put the product in rotation in the upstream end of the said chamber, the product is then flattened and pushed in rotation along the lateral surface of said chamber by forming a sheet of product whose speed of rotation increases

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectCentrifugal force: Centrifugal Force

Implementation Method 2

the viscoelastic behavior of said product can in particular cause a layer of product to adhere to the side surface of the turbulence chamber

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectViscoelasticity: Viscoelasticity

Data Source

PatentEP3261779B1Pushbutton for a system for dispensing a product under pressure
Publication Date: 2021.06.02 ALBEA LE TREPORT
  • EP3261779B1 patent drawingFigure 1~2
  • EP3261779B1 patent drawingFigure 3a~3b
  • EP3261779B1 patent drawingFigure 4

AI summary

The invention relates to a pushbutton comprising a body (1) having a housing (11) provided with an anvil (12) around which a spray nozzle (13) is mounted so as to form a path for dispensing the product between said housing and a swirl assembly comprising a swirl chamber (21) provided with a dispensing orifice (22) and at least two supply ducts (23) for said chamber that are disposed symmetrically with respect to a dispensing axis (D), said chamber being delimited by a lateral surface (24) having a polygonal geometry with respect to which the ducts (23) extend in a transverse plane, the surface (24) converging from an upstream end (25), into which the downstream end of the ducts (23) leads, to a downstream opening (26) for supplying the orifice (22), said orifice having an outlet dimension which is equal to the internal dimension of said downstream opening, the swirl assembly also having a recess (29) formed upstream of and axially facing the chamber (21).