Single Piston Foamer Pump with Direct Valve Actuation
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing foam dispensers are complex and require multiple pistons or elaborate passageways, relying on pressure differentials and complex check valve mechanisms to operate effectively, lacking a simple design with positive contact to unseat the check valve at the outlet of the liquid pump chamber.
Innovation Solution
A foamer pump with a single piston that engages both a fluid and an air chamber, utilizing a spring to unseat the check valve and an aerator to promote foaming, with a simple construction that connects to a fluid bottle and ambient air, allowing for the formation of a foamable fluid and air mixture.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Device complexity
If a single piston is used to engage both fluid and air chambers, then device complexity is reduced, but reliable operation of check valves becomes more difficult
Solution Approach 1:
The patent combines the fluid chamber and air chamber into a single pump body that is actuated by one piston. The piston directly engages both chambers through shared walls, eliminating the need for separate pistons while maintaining reliable check valve operation through proper pressure differential design.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent introduces a check valve mechanism that acts as an intermediary to ensure proper unidirectional flow. The check valve is positioned to receive direct positive contact from the piston during operation, ensuring reliable opening and closing actions without requiring complex valve mechanisms.
2Productivity
If positive contact is provided to unseat the check valve, then foaming effectiveness is improved, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The piston is designed to directly contact and unseat the check valve during its stroke, allowing the primary actuating component to perform dual functions: compressing the fluid/air mixture and actively opening the valve. This self-service approach eliminates the need for separate valve actuation mechanisms.
Solution Approach 2:
The single piston serves multiple functions: it compresses the foamable fluid in the fluid chamber, compresses air in the air chamber, and directly unseats the check valve to control flow. This multi-functionality improves foaming effectiveness without adding device complexity.
3Productivity
If multiple pistons are used to pump liquid and air separately, then foaming performance is improved, but device complexity and component quantity increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent merges the liquid pumping function and air pumping function into a single piston-cylinder assembly with two chambers. The piston alternately compresses the foamable fluid and air through its back-and-forth motion, achieving effective foaming performance with fewer components.
Solution Approach 2:
The single piston is designed to perform both liquid pumping and air pumping functions by engaging with both the fluid chamber and air chamber. This universal design maintains foaming performance while reducing the number of pistons and associated components.
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 simplified design for foam dispensing without aerosol propellants, ensuring effective mixing and foaming with fewer components and reduced complexity, while maintaining ambient air pressure within the fluid bottle.
Implementation Method 1
A portion of the actuating mechanism further helps to unseat a check valve at the outlet of the fluid chamber
Implementation Method 2
an aerator to promote foaming
Implementation Method 3
a single piston to engage both a fluid chamber and an air chamber
Data Source
AI summary
A foamer pump for dispensing foam has a simple construction and utilizes a single piston to reduce the volume of both a fluid chamber and an air chamber. A portion of the actuating mechanism helps to unseat a check valve at the outlet of the fluid chamber. The foamer pump has a fluid chamber, and an outlet of the fluid chamber is connected to a mixing chamber. An air chamber has an air channel that connects the air chamber to ambient air in a first position and to the mixing chamber in a second position. A piston causes the volume of the air chamber and the liquid chamber each to be reduced, forcing air from the air chamber and foamable fluid from the liquid chamber into the mixing chamber where they blend to form an air/liquid mixture.