Any Plastics connections out there?

[kinabaloo]

Which is why it is best to avoid dented cans

[ISAWHIM]

The cans they use are plastic or wax coated inside, and can not contain certain foods. They are also sealed in a vacuum or with an inert gas to replace the oxygen in the sealed canister. This is why dented cans are dangerous, and why restaurants can not store food inside an opened can. Cans which have lost pressure and are now exposed directly to the food, are dangerous.

Metal food trays are perfect for short term storage. (High carbon steel only.)

The long-term dangers come from reused containers, which can not be adequately cleaned, and used to hold semi-alkaline foods for longer than a year. (Not saying that metal cans can not be adequately cleaned, but the ones that can not be adequately cleaned, are the problem. There is also a risk of over-cleaned containers, containing scratched metals and detergents before being used again. Those metal flakes from scouring pads and detergents are carcinogenic. Thus, the year limitation of devices.)

"Tuperware" is bad, bad, bad... because it lasts so long, and can be used in the microwave. This is why "Glad" has created their disposable line of plastic containers. You use them until they show signs of wear, and toss them. They stain fast, and warp fast, to help ensure that they are actually disposed of, as opposed to being used for years.

I was thinking of something like a gerbil bottle too. I have also simplified the compression device to a flat wall that moves forward, as opposed to a set of mini-rollers.

About the "Dropper" reply...

A dropper requires little pressure, because the orifice is large enough for liquid to drip-out freely. It uses the vacuum to hold the liquid inside. Again, you would need a way to deliver the liquid from the bottom of the container, which has no center, up to the element, which is higher than the bottom. With a smaller hole, there is more pressure required to operate the device. You don't realize how much force your fingers use to squeeze the dropper. Gravity helps too, with an orifice that large. Try using a pipette with a 0.5mm hole, or try squeezing a simple pump sprayer without the curved lever handle.

Remember the hole has to be small enough that liquid will not continue to drip out, even while touching a wick. (There can not be a gap, because you have no way to control which way the drop would fall. It could fall, or stick to the container, and drip down the side. You need to inject it directly into a wick that touches it. A large orifice would just continually draw-out fluid, defeating the purpose of the dropper, and draining the droppers contents, without the air-valve blocking.)

The purpose of the air-valve blocking is the same purpose the dropper has. Put a hole in the top of the dropper bulb, and the liquid pours out. Put a wick in the nozzle of the dropper, and the liquid will pour out.

You can't pump enough air inside, to force the liquid out, so the liquid must be the thing pumped out. The hole can be non-valved if the liquid pump device is valved, or just resting in a sealed position. (This was the purpose of the rod. To block the hole and also to pump the fluid at the same time. Acting as the valve and the plunger, in one motion.)

Trust me, if you dig, you can find both these devices in use. Micro-pumps exist for many applications in the science industry. You just need to find one that fits and that doesn't cost an arm and a leg to purchase or to adapt to our use.

I think the collapsible gerbil container style with the small orifice and the screw-drive or click-drive wall would be the best candidate. It gives you adequate control, ease of refilling, and simplicity of design, all in one.

The pump style being reserved for a more deluxe version, or if it is required for more precise measured delivery of fluid. (Such as the FDA might determine, so that it is not unregulated volumes consumed per dose. Or that a certain regulated dose method is used. The gerbil-bottle would be more accurate than any existing wicking container used now, but might not be adequate for a specific desired dose regulation.)

I love the idea of a stationary mouthpiece and a full turning battery as the drive mechanism. But a turning ring would also suffice, and could stop undesired turning while stored in a location such as a pocket.

It is also possible to use the suction as the drive/pump, or a manual click-lever/button. Same as depressing a bulb a small bit.

However, in all these designs, the mouth-piece would need an easily identifiable UP position, as this would operate best in that direction and remove some design issues. A simple logo-up identifier, or top-lip bite shape on the mouth-piece could be used to identify the UP position.

I will see what I can come up with, for pre-existing devices. Watch-out google... it is going to be a long night again! (Where did I put that KY?)

Some mini glass vials, for the pump style design.
http://www.ls-uk.com/chromatography8.htm

mini pipette... but not the accordian style I was thinking of...
http://shop.strato.de/epages/6125375...oducts/mcc9033

Interesting food smoker kit... For adding flavor?
http://shop.strato.de/epages/6125375...oducts/mcc9006

Accordian style bottle on this page, but not small enough...
http://www.vitaneedle.com/pages/syringesbottles.htm

[ISAWHIM]

Funny, I was at work today and could not stop thinking about this.

While I was sitting there, bored off my bottom, I saw a perfect prototype. A flexible straw. (Perfect for prototype only, not for actual use.)

I melted one side closed, with a ghetto iron-setup (Two hot knives.), and began to seal the other side, with a needle poking into it. This made a cool mini squirt-gun! Work will never be the same again. I feel like Mac Gyver. LOL.

The straw is not ideal, because it has that SNAP or POP as each segment collapses. Bringing it close to each fold, as you compress it, flings it forward more than desired. Thus, it ejects more liquid than I want. (More folds which are not designed to self-collapse would solve that tiny issue.)

There is also the issue with the straw material, having such a low melting point. (Again, this was just a prototype to experiment with.)

I will keep looking. This has potential.

[Vicks Vap-oh-Yeah]

Funny, I was at work today and could not stop thinking about this.

While I was sitting there, bored off my bottom, I saw a perfect prototype. A flexible straw. (Perfect for prototype only, not for actual use.)

I melted one side closed, with a ghetto iron-setup (Two hot knives.), and began to seal the other side, with a needle poking into it. This made a cool mini squirt-gun! Work will never be the same again. I feel like Mac Gyver. LOL.

The straw is not ideal, because it has that SNAP or POP as each segment collapses. Bringing it close to each fold, as you compress it, flings it forward more than desired. Thus, it ejects more liquid than I want. (More folds which are not designed to self-collapse would solve that tiny issue.)

There is also the issue with the straw material, having such a low melting point. (Again, this was just a prototype to experiment with.)

I will keep looking. This has potential.

I'm digging out my pom pons - Go baby Go!

Aren't there some portable drinks containers, designed to be reusable, that use a thicker plastic, designed to be more durable, with the same "bendy" style as the cheap plastic straws? I remember big water bottles with these thickened straws..... Do they still sell these?

Gonna go trolling the internet, hope I find something....




EDIT: Something like this?

http://www.discountmugs.com/nc/sport...el-bottles.htm


EDIT again: How about tubing designed for hot beverage dispening units?