Plastic lotion pumps are widely used to dispense viscous liquids, such as liquid soaps, hand sanitizers and facial cleansers. Although there are a large number of polypropylene emulsion pumps available on the market today, their basic working mechanism remains unchanged.
In this blog, we will briefly introduce the main parts and functions of a conventional lotion pump.
Key components of lotion pump
The standard 250ml Plastic Lotion Bottle usually has 6 parts.
Actuator-made of polypropylene, also called pump head, its main task is to discharge the contents from the lotion pump reservoir when pressed.
Closed-Use this assembly to fix the entire assembly on the neck of the lotion pump.
Outer gasket-usually made of low-density polyethylene or rubber, it helps prevent the contents from leaking from the bottle groove area and is usually installed in the bottle cap by friction.
Housing-Sometimes called the pump assembly housing, it puts all the parts of the lotion pump in one place. The lotion pump housing can also double as a transfer container for sending the contents from the dip tube to the actuator.
Internal housing components (ball/spring/piston/rod)-The internal housing components of the lotion pump depend on the respective product design, and there are differences between one manufacturer.
Immersion tube-This is a long tube made of polypropylene that extends from the nozzle of the lotion pump to its bottom end.
The working principle of lotion pump
Step 1-The function of the lotion pump is similar to that of the suction device. It can resist gravity and help stretch the contents of the tank to the palm of the user.
Step 2-When the actuator is pressed down, the piston shifts, which in turn compresses the spring. It effectively allows the upward applied air pressure to pull the ball along with the material in the dip tube in an upward direction. The content first fills the dip tube and then reaches the lotion pump chamber.
Step 3-After releasing the actuator, the spring will reposition to its original position. The ball returns to its standby position and seals the water tank, thereby cutting off the flow of contents, so it cannot return to the lotion pump bottle.
Step 4-The above three steps are collectively referred to as startup. When the actuator is pressed again from the rest position of the actuator, the material in the liquid storage tank will first pass through the valve stem and then reach the actuator. Finally, the pump dispenses the liquid to the user's hand.
This brings us to the end of the discussion about the main ingredients of lotion pumps and how they work. If you think we missed some important information, please feel free to share with our readers via the comments below.