Integrated Touch Up Painter With Squeezable Container
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional liquid applicators, such as paint brushes and rollers, are inefficient and messy due to the need for frequent reloading from secondary sources, leading to paint wastage and contamination, and are often too large for touch-up jobs.
Innovation Solution
A liquid applicator with a container and housing assembly featuring a nozzle for efficient liquid delivery, where the container body is translucent, made of polypropylene with a thermoplastic elastomer overmold, and includes a flocked foam or adhered fabric application element, allowing for targeted application without constant reloading.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Loss of substance
If conventional liquid applicators are used with secondary paint sources, then paint application is possible, but paint wastage and contamination occur due to frequent reloading
Solution Approach 1:
The patent combines the paint container and application element into a single integrated unit. The container body directly houses the application element (brush, roller, or pad) inside, eliminating the need for separate secondary paint sources. This integration allows the user to reload paint directly into the container without handling separate trays or cans, thereby reducing paint wastage and contamination while simplifying the overall device structure.
Solution Approach 2:
The application element is nested within the container body, which itself is nested within the housing assembly. This nested structure allows the application element to be directly accessible to paint from the container chamber, eliminating intermediate transfer steps that cause paint wastage. The nested design enables efficient paint delivery from the container through the application element without requiring external secondary sources.
2Ease of repair
If conventional liquid applicators are used, then paint application is possible, but cleaning is messy and time-consuming
Solution Approach 1:
The device is segmented into removable components including the housing assembly, container body, and application element. The application element can be easily removed from the container for cleaning, and the container can be detached from the housing. This segmentation allows for quick and easy cleaning of each component separately, reducing both the mess and time required for maintenance compared to conventional integrated applicators.
3Adaptability or versatility
If conventional liquid applicators are used, then paint application is possible, but they are too large for touch-up jobs
Solution Approach 1:
The patent provides for variable container sizes and application element types that can be selected based on the specific job requirements. The container body dimensions and application element size can be changed to match the scale of the task, whether it be a small touch-up job or a larger painting project. This parameter variability allows the same basic device structure to adapt to different application scenarios, making it suitable for touch-up jobs where conventional applicators are too large.
4Productivity
If conventional liquid applicators require frequent reloading from secondary sources, then continuous paint supply is possible, but productivity decreases due to constant reloading
Solution Approach 1:
The container is pre-filled with paint before use, and the application element is pre-positioned within the container. This preliminary preparation eliminates the need for frequent reloading during the painting process. The integrated design allows the user to simply replace the entire pre-filled container when paint is depleted, rather than repeatedly reloading from secondary sources, thereby significantly improving productivity by eliminating constant reloading interruptions.
Solution Approach 2:
The integrated container-application element design enables continuous paint application without interruption. Paint flows continuously from the container chamber through the application element to the surface being painted. The seamless integration eliminates the discontinuous reloading process required by conventional applicators, maintaining continuous useful action and improving overall painting efficiency and productivity.
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 enables efficient and targeted paint application with reduced mess and wastage, improving the delivery process by allowing the user to squeeze the container for liquid flow and featuring a design that minimizes material usage and simplifies cleaning.
Implementation Method 1
The container body may include a material that is configured to flex in response to a force applied to the container body, thereby allowing a user to force the liquid from the chamber and through the opening by squeezing the container body
Data Source
AI summary
A liquid applicator for applying a liquid to a surface with an improved liquid delivery process. The liquid applicator includes a container having a container body that includes an opening and a chamber that is configured to receive and hold the liquid; and, a housing assembly removably attached to the container, the housing assembly including a liquid application element and a nozzle that delivers the liquid from the chamber to the application element, wherein the nozzle is configured to deliver the liquid from the chamber to the application element when the housing assembly is positioned in a first position with respect to the container, and wherein the container body comprises an interface, a main body portion, and a base.