Sifter Dish Insert for Controlled Cosmetic Powder Access
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing cosmetic powder packages lack user control over the amount of powder deposited on the sifter surface, with powder often falling back into the reservoir, leading to inconvenience and mess.
Innovation Solution
A sifter insert with a central concave dish and slotted channel around the perimeter, mounted below the cap and above the product reservoir, allowing controlled powder transfer and access, with slots enabling powder flow from the reservoir to the dish and back when needed.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If a sifter with holes is used to allow powder flow from the reservoir, then powder can be accessed by the user, but the user has limited control over the amount of powder deposited and powder tends to fall back into the reservoir
Solution Approach 1:
The sifter insert is divided into two functional zones: a central dish portion for holding powder and a peripheral channel portion with slots for powder transfer. This segmentation allows the dish to retain powder while the channel controls powder flow from the reservoir, giving users precise control over powder amount.
Solution Approach 2:
The peripheral channel acts as an intermediary between the product reservoir and the central dish. It receives powder from the reservoir through slots and selectively transfers it to the dish, preventing direct uncontrolled flow and reducing powder fallout back into the reservoir.
2Ease of operation
If the sifter is positioned close to the cap for easy access, then powder is readily available, but powder may fall back into the reservoir when the jar is inverted
Solution Approach 1:
The central dish portion has a concave curved surface that naturally retains powder through gravity and surface geometry. This curvature prevents powder from falling off the sifter when the jar is inverted, while the dish's positioning allows easy access when the jar is upright.
3Ease of operation
If the sifter is removed from the neck to improve powder access, then the user can retrieve powder directly from the reservoir, but the process becomes inconvenient and messy
Solution Approach 1:
The sifter insert serves multiple functions: it acts as a powder holder in the central dish, a controlled transfer mechanism through the peripheral channel slots, and a retention system preventing powder fallout. This multi-functionality eliminates the need to remove the sifter while maintaining convenient and clean powder access.
Data Source
Figure 1
Figure 2
AI summary
A sifter insert is provided for mounting in the neck of a powder jar above the product storage area and below the cap of the jar. The sifter insert has a central concave dish portion for supporting a quantity of powder product. A channel is provided around the perimeter of the dish portion. The sifter insert is secured in the opening in the neck of the jar such that the dish portion is space at a distance below the bottom of the cap. Slotted openings in the channel permit the flow of powder from the product reservoir into the channel and subsequently into the clearance when the jar is inverted. When the inverted jar is righted, a quantity of powder in the clearance is deposited on the dish portion where it is accessible to the user upon removal of the cap from the jar. A powder brush or puff may be used to retrieve powder from the quantity resting in the dish portion. When the user has finished retrieving powder product from the dish portion, the cap can be secured to the jar, and the jar can be shaken to return excess product from the dish portion to the product reservoir through the slots.