Refillable Container Negative Pressure Pumping Mechanism
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing refill containers for volatile and expensive liquids like perfume face issues such as significant evaporation, spillage, and damage to the main bottle's spray pump during the refilling process, and are often costly to manufacture.
Innovation Solution
A portable container with a refill structure comprising two interlocking containers that generate negative pressure to facilitate easy and quick refilling, using a one-way valve and pump unit to minimize evaporation and prevent damage, while being cost-effective to produce.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Quantity of substance
If a ball-like tube is repeatedly pressed to transfer liquid, then liquid can be transferred from main bottle to refill container, but a considerable amount of liquid is blown away or spilled and stuck around the pipe
Solution Approach 1:
A refill container with a pump unit and valve system acts as an intermediary device between the main bottle and the target container. The pump unit controls liquid flow through a valve, preventing direct contact and spillage that occurs with manual tube pressing methods.
Solution Approach 2:
The manual mechanical pressing action of a ball-like tube is replaced with an automated pump unit that uses controlled mechanical movement to transfer liquid. This substitution provides precise control over liquid flow, eliminating the uncontrolled spraying and spillage associated with manual pressing.
2Quantity of substance
If the spray pump is used repeatedly to transfer liquid, then liquid can be transferred to refill container, but the spray pump of the main bottle may break
Solution Approach 1:
The pump unit is extracted from the main bottle system and placed in the refill container. This separation allows liquid transfer to occur without using the main bottle's spray pump, thereby protecting it from damage while still enabling controlled liquid transfer.
Solution Approach 2:
The refill container with its own pump unit serves as an intermediary system that performs the liquid transfer function without relying on the main bottle's spray pump. This mediator approach protects the original pump while achieving the same liquid transfer objective.
3Quantity of substance
If the refill container is opened to insert pipe, then liquid can be transferred, but a significant amount of liquid evaporates and is lost
Solution Approach 1:
The refill container is pre-equipped with a pump unit and valve system before the refilling process begins. This preliminary preparation eliminates the need to open the container during liquid transfer, preventing evaporation losses that occur when the container is opened repeatedly.
Solution Approach 2:
The liquid transfer process is made continuous and sealed throughout operation. The pump unit transfers liquid through a closed system without requiring the container to be opened, maintaining continuous protection against evaporation and ensuring no liquid is lost to the environment.
4Manufacturing precision
If micromini motorized equipment is used to transfer liquid, then liquid transfer is precise and controlled, but the manufacturing cost becomes too high
Solution Approach 1:
The pump unit is designed as a simple, inexpensive mechanical device that can be mass-produced at low cost. Rather than using expensive micromini motorized equipment, the invention employs a straightforward pump mechanism that achieves sufficient precision for refill applications while keeping manufacturing costs accessible to consumers.
Solution Approach 2:
The invention uses a simplified copy or approximation of complex motorized pump technology. Instead of replicating expensive micromini motor systems, it employs a basic pump unit that captures the essential function of precise liquid transfer at a fraction of the cost, making the product commercially viable.
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 minimizes evaporation and spillage during refilling, makes the process quick and easy, and is affordable, ensuring the refill container is accessible to everyone without damaging the main bottle.
Implementation Method 1
a negative pressure is generated in the receptacle space by pulling out the first and second containers in a watertight way
Implementation Method 2
The first and second containers may generate a positive pressure in the receptacle space by being inserted in a watertight way after the introduction of the contents
Data Source
AI summary
Disclosed is a portable container with a refill structure, which includes: first and second containers that are open towards each other and form a contents receptacle space by being inserted in a watertight and variable way and communicating with each other; a one-way valve attached to the first container to allow the contents to be introduced; and a pump unit attached to the second container to release the contents held in the receptacle space through a nozzle. A negative pressure is generated in the receptacle space by pulling out the first and second containers in a watertight way.