Applicator with Roller-Balls for Hygienic Cleaning via Detachable Head
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional roller-ball applicators face issues with microbial growth and ineffective cleaning due to the placement of the opening among the roller-balls, making it difficult to use water or alcohol for sanitation and leading to residue from facial tissues.
Innovation Solution
The design includes a detachable application head with an inclined surface and roller-balls in holes, allowing for easy detachment and cleaning, with a coupling mechanism that enables threading with a container for fluid dispensing and even distribution on body parts.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If the opening is disposed among the roller-balls in conventional applicators, then the roller-balls can be rotatably disposed on the top of the housing for applying fluid material, but it becomes impossible to use water or alcohol to clean the roller-balls effectively, leading to microbial growth
Solution Approach 1:
The applicator is divided into separate components: a removable application head containing the roller-balls and a housing. This segmentation allows the application head to be detached for cleaning purposes, solving the contradiction between maintaining roller-ball functionality and enabling effective cleaning.
Solution Approach 2:
The application head is extracted as a separate removable component from the housing. This extraction enables the user to remove the application head for cleaning while leaving the housing intact, thereby solving the cleaning accessibility problem without compromising the roller-ball application function.
2Ease of repair
If the application head is made detachable for cleaning purposes, then effective cleaning of roller-balls becomes possible, but the device complexity increases due to additional coupling members and threading mechanisms
Solution Approach 1:
The coupling member serves multiple functions: it connects the application head to the housing, provides threading for secure attachment, and enables easy detachment for cleaning. This multi-functionality reduces the need for separate components, thereby minimizing device complexity while achieving cleanability.
Solution Approach 2:
The coupling member integrates multiple features into a single component: the neck member with threading, the retaining structure, and the connection interface. This merging simplifies the overall structure by combining what could have been separate elements into one unified coupling mechanism.
3Ease of repair
If conventional applicators use facial tissue to clean roller-balls, then some cleaning is possible, but cotton bits are left on the roller-balls and it is not economical
Solution Approach 1:
The application head is extracted as a removable component that can be taken out for thorough cleaning with water or alcohol. This extraction enables effective cleaning that removes all residues without leaving cotton bits, solving the contamination problem while maintaining cleaning capability.
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 effective cleaning of the roller-balls, prevents microbial growth, and ensures even distribution of fluid materials on body parts while allowing for easy detachment and reattachment for cleaning.
Implementation Method 1
a plurality of roller-balls disposed in an application face of an inclined surface of a releasable application head so that dispensed fluid material can be evenly distributed on the body parts by applying
Implementation Method 2
the internally threaded member is configured to thread into engagement with the externally threaded neck
Data Source
AI summary
An applicator includes a closure cap including inner retaining members; an application head including a housing, a support, and a coupling member wherein the housing includes an axial channel with the support substantially disposed therein, an inclined surface having an application face and holes, and roller-balls disposed in the holes respectively; the support includes a stair adjacent to the holes, and the coupling member includes a neck member at a first end and being urged against the support, an internally threaded member adjacent to a second end and disposed through the neck member, a mating retaining member disposed on an outer surface of the neck member between the inclined surface and the internally threaded member, the mating retaining member being secured to the retaining members; and a container assembly including an externally threaded neck at one end and threadedly secured to the internally threaded member.