Reusable Aerosol Piston Dynamics for Leakage Prevention
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing pressurized aerosol containers are single-use, leading to environmental pollution and carbon footprint, and reusable canisters face safety hazards and reliability issues due to piston expulsion and leakage.
Innovation Solution
A reusable dispensing container assembly with a deformable or solid piston that expands under pressurization and collapses when depressurized, featuring a reinforcement apparatus and a pressurization station with a needle for easy refilling and cleaning.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Object-affected harmful factors
If traditional aerosol cans are used, then dispensing function is achieved, but environmental pollution and carbon footprint increase due to single-use disposal
Solution Approach 1:
The piston is designed to be deformable rather than rigid, allowing it to dynamically change shape between expanded (pressurized) and collapsed (depressurized) states. This dynamic property enables the piston to be removed from the canister when collapsed, facilitating cleaning and reuse, while maintaining structural integrity when expanded during pressurized operation
Solution Approach 2:
The piston's physical state is changed from rigid to deformable, and its volume is dynamically adjusted between expanded and collapsed states. This parameter change allows the piston to transition between functional states (pressurized vs. cleaned/removable), resolving the contradiction between maintaining reliability during use and enabling reuse through cleaning
2Ease of operation
If actuators are threadably secured on reusable pressurized canisters, then assembly is simplified, but safety hazards occur when pressurized pistons are expelled upon actuator removal
Solution Approach 1:
The deformable piston design proactively prevents the harmful effect of piston expulsion by collapsing the piston volume before actuator removal. This preliminary action (collapsing the piston) neutralizes the pressure that would otherwise cause dangerous expulsion, allowing safe actuator removal while maintaining ease of assembly
Solution Approach 2:
The deformable piston acts as a cushioning element that absorbs and dissipates pressurized energy before actuator removal. By collapsing the piston in advance, the system cushions against the potential harmful expulsion, enabling safe disassembly while maintaining threaded assembly simplicity
3Force
If pressurization is applied to a piston in a reusable canister, then dispensing force is improved, but the piston may dislodge from its proper position causing leakage
Solution Approach 1:
The piston's deformability allows it to dynamically adapt to pressurization forces by expanding uniformly while maintaining its position within the canister. The reinforcement apparatus provides structural support that prevents dislodgment, while the deformable material allows the piston to flex and seal effectively under pressure without losing its proper positioning
4Ease of repair
If a deformable piston is used in reusable canisters, then piston removal for cleaning is enabled, but the piston may lack structural integrity under pressurization
Solution Approach 1:
The piston is constructed as a composite structure combining a deformable material (such as flexible polymer or elastomer) with an embedded reinforcement apparatus (such as metal mesh, wire cage, or rigid structural framework). This composite construction provides both the deformability needed for removal and cleaning, and the structural integrity required to withstand pressurization forces
Solution Approach 2:
The reinforcement apparatus is strategically positioned within the deformable piston material, providing localized structural support where needed while maintaining overall deformability. The reinforcement is embedded within the piston body, creating a heterogeneous structure with different local properties: rigid reinforcement elements for strength and deformable material for flexibility and sealability
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 enables safe and reliable reuse of pressurized containers, reducing environmental impact by allowing refilling and cleaning of the piston, while preventing piston expulsion and leakage.
Implementation Method 1
a piston that moves vertically as the canister is pressurized to push a substance out of the canister when actuated for dispensing, where the piston is arranged to increase its seal-ability against the canister's internal wall by expanding under pressurization
Implementation Method 2
a piston that can be removed from a canister in order to facilitate cleaning by configuring a piston that will collapse in overall size when depressurized
Data Source
AI summary
A reusable dispensing container assembly including a canister having a first end and a second end, the canister having an upper chamber to hold dispensable substance, an actuator arranged proximate the first end of the canister, in communication with the chamber, the actuator having a nozzle arranged to eject the dispensable substance, and a deformable piston arranged within the canister below the upper chamber, the deformable piston having a reinforcement apparatus embedded therein, the piston further arranged to sealingly engage an inner surface of the canister, the piston arranged for upward movement within the canister when the actuator is actuated, the deformable piston forming a lower chamber arranged to hold pressurized gas.