Squeezable Filter Bottle With Bounce-Back and Bypass Flow Control
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional portable water bottles lack sufficient elasticity to return to their original shape without deformation and have inadequate filtration systems, leading to damage and inefficient water flow, while conventional filters are expensive and prone to breakage.
Innovation Solution
A squeezable beverage bottle with radial rigidity and a bottle mountable filtration system that includes a filter housing with support structures to secure filter media, preventing bypass flow and ensuring effective filtration at a lower cost.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If conventional plastic containers are made squeezable, then ease of operation improves, but radial rigidity deteriorates causing permanent deformation and denting
Solution Approach 1:
The bottle is constructed using composite materials, specifically a polypropylene resin blend that combines high impact polystyrene (20-40%), polypropylene (50-70%), and elastomer (5-20%). This composite structure provides both the necessary elasticity for squeezing and the radial rigidity to resist permanent deformation, resolving the contradiction between ease of operation and structural strength.
Solution Approach 2:
The invention changes the material parameters by using a specific resin blend with controlled proportions of different polymers. The elastomer component (5-20%) provides the necessary flexibility and bounce-back capability, while the polypropylene matrix maintains structural integrity and resistance to denting, achieving both squeezeability and radial rigidity.
2Reliability
If conventional filter media materials are used, then filtering capability improves, but reliability deteriorates due to breakage and special handling requirements
Solution Approach 1:
The filter media is positioned within a dedicated filter housing that provides localized structural support. The housing includes a support structure at its base that specifically reinforces the filter media location, preventing breakage while maintaining the filtering capability of the media itself.
Solution Approach 2:
The filter housing acts as an intermediary structure between the filter media and the external environment. It protects the fragile filter media from mechanical damage during insertion, use, and removal, while still allowing water to pass through for filtration.
3Ease of operation
If conventional bottles require user suction to facilitate flow, then manufacturing simplicity improves, but ease of operation deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The bottle design incorporates a dynamic flow control mechanism where the flow rate automatically adjusts based on the user's squeezing force. Squeezing the bottle body increases the flow rate, while releasing it decreases the flow rate, eliminating the need for user suction or active inhalation to facilitate water discharge.
Solution Approach 2:
The bottle's flow control system is self-regulating through the elastic properties of the composite material. When squeezed, the bottle naturally forces water through the filter and discharge opening without requiring additional user actions like suction. The elastic bounce-back also helps reset the flow mechanism automatically.
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 cost-effective, durable squeezable bottle with controlled flow rates and effective filtration, maintaining shape and integrity even after repeated use, while ensuring the quality of water dispensed.
Implementation Method 1
exhibiting sufficient radial rigidity to resist damage and/or undesired deformation even after repeated handling and squeezing
Implementation Method 2
a filter media having a first end disposed along the proximate end of a filter housing and a second end disposed along the distal end of the filter housing
Data Source
AI summary
Embodiments of the present disclosure could generally provide a relatively easily squeezable beverage bottle that allows control of the flow rate of the liquid being dispensed to the user. The bottle could provide sufficient radial rigidity—or resistance to squeezing—to return to its original shape (or “bounce back”) at a suitable rate without experiencing permanent deformation or denting and to withstand the rigors of filling, shipping, transporting, dispensing, etc. The present disclosure generally provides a beverage bottle filtering system that provides adequate filtering of water taken from the bottle at a suitable rate. In one embodiment, the present disclosure could include a support system to adequately secure the filter media within a filter housing while ensuring a sufficient compression fit and seal of filter media within filter system to eliminate “bypass flow” (i.e., water that might leak past filter system) and prevent consumption of unfiltered water.