Water Filtering Device With Spring-Assisted Low-Force Plunging
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Traditional water filtering devices require significant manual force to operate, limiting their use by individuals with physical disabilities, elderly, children, or those with injuries, and often restrict compatibility with different filter cartridges.
Innovation Solution
A water filtering device with a mechanically energized component, such as an elastic band assembly, facilitates the seating of an inner bottle within an outer cup, forcing water through a filter cartridge with minimal user exertion, and allows compatibility with various filter cartridges using adapters.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Productivity
If traditional mechanical energy filtering devices are used to filter substantial water quickly, then filtration speed is improved, but the force required by the user increases significantly
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces manual mechanical force application with a spring-loaded mechanical energy storage and release system. The spring mechanism automatically provides the plunging force needed to push water through the filter, eliminating the need for users to exert significant manual force while maintaining efficient filtration speed.
Solution Approach 2:
The spring mechanism is pre-loaded during device assembly or idle periods, storing mechanical energy in advance. When filtration is needed, the pre-loaded spring releases stored energy to automatically plunger the inner bottle, providing the necessary force without requiring user effort at the moment of filtration.
2Reliability
If traditional filtering devices require significant manual force, then filtration effectiveness is maintained, but accessibility to diverse user groups is reduced
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces the manual force application system with an automatic spring-loaded mechanical energy system. This substitution maintains filtration effectiveness by ensuring consistent plunging action while dramatically improving ease of operation for diverse user groups including children, elderly persons, and those with physical limitations.
Solution Approach 2:
The spring mechanism enables the device to perform the force-intensive plunging action automatically without requiring user physical effort. The system serves itself by using stored spring energy to drive the filtration process, making the device accessible to users who would otherwise be unable to operate it.
3Device complexity
If traditional filtering systems use fixed filter cartridge designs, then structural simplicity is maintained, but adaptability to different filter types is limited
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements a universal filter cartridge interface design with standardized connection features that accommodate multiple filter cartridge types. The inner bottle and outer cup incorporate compatible mounting structures that allow different filter cartridges to be attached, enabling the device to work with various filter types while maintaining structural simplicity through a common interface standard.
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
Enables efficient filtration of substantial water quantities with reduced manual effort, accommodating diverse user abilities and filter types, enhancing accessibility and versatility.
Implementation Method 1
a mechanically energized component configured to couple the inner bottle with the outer cup and bias, or be used to force, the inner bottle to a fully-seated position within the outer cup
Data Source
AI summary
A liquid filtration device that includes a cup assembly configured to carry an unfiltered liquid. The cup assembly includes a cup body for receiving the unfiltered liquid and a cup base configured to be removably coupled with the bottom end of the cup body. The liquid filtration device further includes a bottle assembly configured to be plunged into the top of the cup assembly in a plunging direction and seated within the cup assembly when fully plunged. The bottle assembly includes a port configured to be coupled with a filter cartridge and communicate the unfiltered liquid carried by the cup assembly through the filter cartridge to an interior of the bottle assembly. To extract the bottle assembly from the cup assembly, the cup base is uncoupled from the cup body and the bottle assembly is moved in the plunging direction past the bottom end of the cup body.