Refill Device Pneumatic Ejection Flexible Inner Body
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Solution Overview
Problem
Refilling liquid products can be messy and time-consuming, especially for viscous liquids, due to the need to squeeze or compress packaging, which often results in residual product and wastage.
Innovation Solution
A refill package featuring a pre-extended flexible inner body within a rigid outer container under negative pressure, where air pressure is used to cause the flexible body to return to its original shape, expelling the liquid product without manual squeezing, by aligning the refill pack's opening with the primary pack and operating an air intake mechanism.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Productivity
If manual squeezing or compression is used to dispense viscous liquids, then the liquid product can be dispensed from the container, but the process becomes messy and time-consuming with residual product remaining in the packaging
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies pneumatic pressure to dispense the liquid product. A pressurized gas source is connected to the flexible inner body, and gas is introduced to create internal pressure that forces the liquid product out through the dispensing opening. This eliminates the need for manual squeezing and ensures complete evacuation of the product, minimizing residual waste in the packaging.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent replaces the manual mechanical squeezing action with an automated pneumatic system. Instead of requiring user force applied through compression, a pressurized gas system automatically generates the necessary force to dispense the liquid product, improving both speed and completeness of dispensing.
2Ease of operation
If the flexible inner body is pre-extended within the rigid outer container under negative pressure, then the product can be automatically ejected when air pressure is introduced, but the device structure becomes more complex
Solution Approach 1:
The flexible inner body is pre-extended during manufacturing and sealed in this extended state within the rigid outer container under negative pressure. This preliminary preparation allows the body to automatically return to its original collapsed shape when air pressure is introduced during use, automatically ejecting the product without requiring manual manipulation or complex activation mechanisms.
Solution Approach 2:
The system creates negative pressure (vacuum) inside the rigid outer container during manufacturing, which holds the pre-extended flexible inner body in place. This preliminary counter-pressure prevents premature collapse and product discharge, and is simply released during use by introducing air pressure, enabling automatic product ejection.
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
Enables quick, efficient, and mess-free refilling with minimal wastage, as the flexible inner body automatically ejects the product into the primary container when air pressure is introduced, simplifying the refill process.
Implementation Method 1
wherein the flexible inner body is joined to the rigid outer container around the opening
Implementation Method 2
the flexible inner body automatically ejects the product into the primary container when air pressure is introduced
Implementation Method 3
A refill package featuring a pre-extended flexible inner body within a rigid outer container under negative pressure
Data Source
AI summary
A refill package for liquid products, comprising: (a) a rigid outer container comprising an inside face, an opening, and an air intake means; wherein the opening comprises a removable closure and wherein the air intake means comprises a sealable orifice and a sealing mechanism, and (b) a flexible inner body, for containing a liquid product; wherein the flexible inner body is joined to the rigid outer container around the opening.