Reusable Dispensing Container With Deformable Piston
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Traditional pressurized aerosol containers are single-use, leading to environmental pollution and inefficiency, as they mix propellants with products, and reusable bag-on-valve systems face reusability issues and cross-contamination concerns.
Innovation Solution
A reusable dispensing container with a deformable piston and a pressurization station that allows for the separation of products from propellants, enabling refilling and easy cleaning, using a battery-powered air compressor for convenient recharging and de-pressurization.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of manufacture
If traditional single-use aerosol containers are used, then product dispensing is simple, but environmental pollution increases and resource waste occurs
Solution Approach 1:
The system is divided into separable components: a reusable canister and disposable refills. This segmentation allows the environmentally harmful single-use container to be replaced with a durable reusable component, while maintaining simplicity through standardized refill replacement.
Solution Approach 2:
The design enables recovery and reuse of the canister while the refill is discarded. The canister is cleaned and sanitized between uses, recovering the expensive and environmentally impactful component, while only the consumable refill is disposed of.
2Stability of the object's composition
If bag-on-valve systems are used to keep product separate from propellant, then product integrity is maintained, but the system becomes complex and difficult to clean
Solution Approach 1:
The complex bag-on-valve mechanism is extracted and replaced with a simpler direct-dispense system. The refill contains both product and propellant in a simple container that interfaces directly with the canister valve, eliminating the need for separate bags and complex welding operations.
Solution Approach 2:
Instead of keeping product and propellant separate until the last moment (traditional B.O.V.), the refill keeps them mixed from the start in a simple container, inverting the traditional approach and simplifying the overall system architecture.
3Productivity
If reusable dispensers are designed for multiple uses, then resource efficiency improves, but cross-contamination risk increases
Solution Approach 1:
The system segments the consumable portion (refill) from the reusable portion (canister). The refill acts as a disposable barrier that prevents cross-contamination between different products, while the canister is recovered and sanitized for reuse, achieving both resource efficiency and contamination prevention.
Solution Approach 2:
The refill is discarded after single use to prevent cross-contamination, while the canister is recovered, cleaned, and sanitized for multiple uses. This approach maintains high resource efficiency by reusing the expensive canister component while ensuring product safety through disposable barriers.
4Force
If a deformable piston is used to push substance out of the canister, then dispensing force is improved, but the piston requires cleaning and maintenance
Solution Approach 1:
The complex piston mechanism is extracted and replaced with a simpler spring-loaded valve system. The spring provides the necessary dispensing force without requiring a movable piston that needs cleaning and maintenance, reducing the ease of repair requirements while maintaining adequate dispensing force.
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 provides a sustainable, reusable pressurized dispenser that prevents cross-contamination and reduces environmental impact by allowing easy refilling and maintenance, while maintaining product integrity and safety.
Implementation Method 1
a deformable piston forming a lower chamber arranged to hold pressurized gas, the deformable piston comprising at least one integral external O-ring about its circumference arranged to sealingly engage the inner surface of the canister and maintain separation of the dispensable substance and the pressurized gas
Implementation Method 2
the deformable piston comprising at least one integral external O-ring about its circumference arranged to sealingly engage the inner surface of the canister
Data Source
AI summary
A reusable dispensing container assembly, having 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 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, the deformable piston comprising at least one integral external O-ring about its circumference arranged to sealingly engage the inner surface of the canister and maintain separation of the dispensable substance and the pressurized gas.