Self-Sealing Pump Plug Mechanism for Fluid Preservation
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional manual press discharge pumps for cosmetics and personal care products expose the contents to air, leading to degradation of high-end active ingredients and drying out of fluids, while also causing contamination issues with the discharge nozzle.
Innovation Solution
A self-sealing pump with an actuator body, nozzle, plug, spring, and limit rod, where the plug is configured to elastically stretch and slide along the nozzle's axial direction, opening and closing the discharge passage to prevent exposure to air and ensure airtight preservation.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If the discharge channel is open to the atmosphere for fluid dispensing, then the fluid can be dispensed easily, but the contents come into contact with air and oxygen causing degradation and drying
Solution Approach 1:
The discharge channel is designed with different properties in different sections: the main channel remains open for fluid flow, while the nozzle tip is sealed with a plug that has a hydrophilic surface. This local differentiation allows the fluid to be dispensed easily when needed while preventing air contact and oxidation when the pump is at rest.
Solution Approach 2:
The pump employs a self-sealing mechanism where the plug automatically seals the nozzle after fluid dispensing without requiring external intervention. The spring force and surface tension work together to push the plug back to seal the nozzle, and the hydrophilic surface ensures the plug adheres to the nozzle wall, maintaining an airtight seal autonomously.
2Productivity
If the discharge nozzle is exposed to air, then fluid can be dispensed freely, but the nozzle contents are not easy to dispense and result in contamination
Solution Approach 1:
The plug acts as a flexible sealing element that can deform and conform to the nozzle opening. Its hydrophilic surface allows it to adhere to the nozzle wall like a flexible film, creating an effective seal that prevents contamination while allowing smooth fluid dispensing when activated.
3Device complexity
If a manual press discharge pump is used for fluid administration, then the pump structure is simple, but the contents deteriorate in the presence of oxygen and fluid dries out
Solution Approach 1:
The pump creates an inert environment by sealing the discharge nozzle with a plug that prevents oxygen from entering the fluid channel. This inert barrier protects the fluid contents from oxidation and deterioration, maintaining fluid stability without requiring complex inert gas systems or vacuum mechanisms.
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 self-sealing pump effectively protects the fluid's potency by preventing contact with air, reducing degradation and drying, and maintaining the nozzle's cleanliness, thereby ensuring the quality and stability of the contents over time.
Implementation Method 1
a spring (5) is positioned between the end of plug (3) and an end wall of the discharge cavity (11), the spring (5) being against a tail end of plug (3) and can make the plug move in the axial direction
Implementation Method 2
the first tapered plane is along a first plane, the two tapered surfaces being slidably matched such that the first stop surface stops at the second stop surface
Data Source
AI summary
Disclosed are self-sealing actuators and pumps for distributing fluids such as personal care products. The actuator can include a nozzle having an outlet that is opens and closes via movement of a plug. A limit rod is configured to engage with the plug and upon actuation the assembly opens a passage for the fluid to flow through an inner channel of the limit rod and to the outlet. Upon de-actuation, the assembly closes the passage sealing the fluid within a closed environment to prevent degradation and caking. Actuators and pumps as described protect the performance of active ingredients within the fluid and prevent the nozzle and outlet from blocking with dried or caked fluid.