Soap Dispenser Vent Design to Prevent Refill Overflow and Leakage
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Solution Overview
Problem
Soap and sanitizer dispensers often experience messy refilling due to air vents allowing soap or sanitizer to flow out, leading to inefficiencies and waste when refilling the permanent reservoir.
Innovation Solution
The design incorporates a refill vent conduit extending above the maximum fill line with a vent valve and/or bubble trap located at the upper end, along with an electronically controlled vent system, to manage air flow and prevent liquid from escaping during refilling.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If a vent is provided in the permanent reservoir to allow air to escape during refilling, then air flow is enabled, but soap or sanitizer flows out of the vent causing mess and waste
Solution Approach 1:
A bubble trap is introduced as an intermediary component in the vent pathway. The bubble trap captures air bubbles that rise during refilling and prevents them from escaping directly, while allowing controlled air flow. This mediator component solves the contradiction by enabling air venting functionality while preventing liquid leakage through the vent.
Solution Approach 2:
The harmful function of the vent (allowing liquid to escape) is separated from the useful function (allowing air to escape). By extracting the liquid flow path from the vent pathway and directing liquid through a separate inlet, the vent is dedicated solely to air flow, eliminating liquid loss while maintaining air venting capability.
2Reliability
If the vent conduit extends above the maximum fill line, then air can escape during refilling, but soap or sanitizer may flow out of the vent
Solution Approach 1:
The bubble trap serves as a mediator component positioned in the vent conduit. It allows air bubbles to pass through while capturing and retaining liquid, preventing liquid from reaching the vent opening even when the conduit extends above the maximum fill line. This resolves the contradiction by maintaining air venting while blocking liquid overflow.
Solution Approach 2:
The air bubbles that naturally rise during refilling (which could cause liquid to follow them out the vent) are converted into a beneficial function by the bubble trap. The bubbles are captured and coalesced in the trap, and their presence actually helps seal the vent pathway against liquid while still allowing air to escape, transforming a potential harmful effect into a useful sealing mechanism.
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
This solution effectively prevents the messy overflow of soap or sanitizer during refilling, ensuring a cleaner and more efficient refilling process by controlling air and liquid flow, thereby maintaining the dispenser's prime and reducing waste.
Implementation Method 1
a bubble trap is located proximate an upper end of the refill vent conduit
Implementation Method 2
a vent valve is located proximate an upper end of the refill vent conduit
Data Source
AI summary
Exemplary soap and sanitize dispensers are disclosed herein. An exemplary soap or sanitizing dispenser includes a housing, a permanent reservoir located within the housing, a pump in fluid communication with the permanent reservoir and a refill port. The refill port is configured to connect to a refill container. A refilling vent conduit extends upward from the permanent reservoir. The refill vent conduit extends above a maximum fill line of the refill unit and a vent valve is located proximate an upper end of the refill vent conduit.