Refillable Liquid Container With Valve And Bellows
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional liquid containers face challenges in travel convenience, resource wastage, and consistency when transitioning from standard packs to travel packs, especially for luxury products, due to differences in dispensing mechanisms and the inability to incorporate spray units effectively in travel fixtures.
Innovation Solution
A two-part liquid container system comprising a parent container and a refillable child container, where the child container can be detached for travel and automatically refilled from the parent container, featuring a valve assembly and a collapsible bellows or piston mechanism for seamless liquid transfer and dispensing, ensuring the child container remains full without user intervention.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If a standard pack container with dispensing mechanism is used, then the liquid product can be dispensed in original form, but it is inconvenient for travel and may be restricted by hand baggage rules
Solution Approach 1:
The container is divided into two separate parts: a parent container for storage and a child container for dispensing. This segmentation allows the child container to be detached for travel while the parent container remains at home, solving the travel convenience issue without requiring the entire dispensing system to be portable.
Solution Approach 2:
The child container is designed to nest within or attach to the parent container when not in use. This nested configuration allows the dispensing mechanism to be stored compactly with the storage container, reducing overall device complexity while maintaining full functionality when assembled.
2Ease of operation
If the liquid product is transferred to a smaller container for travel, then portability is improved, but spillage or contamination occurs and the original dispensing mechanism cannot be incorporated
Solution Approach 1:
The child container is equipped with its own integrated dispensing mechanism that automatically draws liquid from the parent container when connected. This self-service system eliminates the need for manual transfer of liquid, preventing spillage and contamination while maintaining product integrity throughout the refilling process.
Solution Approach 2:
A valve assembly acts as an intermediary between the parent and child containers, controlling the liquid transfer process. This intermediary mechanism ensures liquid flows only when both containers are properly connected and sealed, preventing accidental spillage or contamination during the refilling operation.
3Ease of operation
If a removable unit with application element is used, then the liquid can be loaded and applied, but the liquid evaporates and the unit is only capable of a few applications
Solution Approach 1:
The child container is pre-filled with liquid automatically when connected to the parent container before use. This preliminary action ensures the dispensing mechanism is always ready with sufficient liquid capacity for multiple applications, eliminating the limitation of only a few uses and preventing evaporation issues associated with small removable units.
4Ease of manufacture
If travel packs are provided with simpler dispensing mechanisms, then cost is reduced, but the consistency of the product and brand experience is compromised
Solution Approach 1:
The child container with its integrated dispensing mechanism serves multiple functions: it can dispense liquid when detached for travel use, and it can be automatically refilled from the parent container when connected. This multi-functional design allows the same mechanism to be used across different pack sizes, maintaining product consistency and brand experience while avoiding the need for separate complex mechanisms in travel packs.
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
This system allows for convenient travel and use while minimizing resource wastage, as the child container can be recharged multiple times, ensuring it remains full when detached, and can be used as a combined unit for normal dispensing, reducing the need for frequent replacements and promoting brand loyalty by conserving manufacturing costs.
Implementation Method 1
When the child container is separated from the parent container, dispensing of liquid causes the second cavity to contract... When the parent container and the child container are coupled together again, the restoring means releases the restoring force so as to expand the second cavity to the original state... thereby drawing liquid from the first cavity into the second cavity
Implementation Method 2
a movable part implemented in the child container, which preferably further comprises a restoring means that stores a restoring force as liquid is expelled from the second cavity by the dispensing mechanism. When the child container is separated from the parent container, dispensing of liquid causes the second cavity to contract, the moving part being connected to, or forming part of the wall of, the second cavity. When the parent container and the child container are coupled together again, the restoring means releases the restoring force so as to expand the second cavity to the original state, urging the moving part back to its initial position
Data Source
Figure 1A
Figure 1B
Figure 2
AI summary
The present invention provides a container system for liquids such as spray fragrances. The system includes a parent container (110) and a child container (120). The parent container provides a first cavity (113) for confining a liquid, and couples detachably to the child container for refilling the child container through a supply opening (111) in the parent container. The child container has a cavity (126) for the liquid, a dispensing mechanism for dispensing liquid, and a valve assembly (124) for filling or topping up liquid into the child container from the parent. The valve (124) opens when the parent container is coupled to the child container. Either the parent or the child container system further includes a movable part (127) which automatically urges liquid from the parent container to the child container, so that when the two containers are together the child container is always full. However, when the child container is separated it can be operated as a self-contained dispenser.