Plastic lotion pumps are widely used to dispense viscous fluids, such as liquid soaps, hand sanitizers, and facial cleansers, to name a few. Although there are a large number of emulsion pumps made of polypropylene on the market today, their basic working mechanism remains the same.

　　In this blog, we will briefly introduce the main components of a common lotion pump and its working principle.

　　Key components of lotion pump

　　A standard lotion pump 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.

　　Close-The entire assembly is fixed on the neck of the lotion pump with the help of this assembly.

　　Outer gasket-usually made of low-density polyethylene or rubber, helps prevent the contents from leaking from the bottle mouth area, and is usually friction-fitted in the bottle cap.

　　Housing-Sometimes called the pump assembly housing, it puts all the parts of the lotion pump in one place. The lotion pump housing also doubles as a transfer container for sending the contents from the dip tube to the actuator.

　　Internal housing components (ball/spring/piston/valve stem)-The internal housing components of the lotion pump depend on the respective product design and vary from manufacturer to manufacturer.

　　Dip tube-This is a long tube made of polypropylene that extends from the nozzle of the lotion pump to its bottom.

　　The working principle of lotion pump

　　Step 1-The function of the lotion pump is similar to the function of the suction device. It fights gravity and helps the contents of the tank reach the palm of the user.

　　Step 2-When the actuator is pressed, the piston moves, thereby compressing the spring. It effectively allows the upward applied air pressure to pull the ball upwards along with the contents of the dip tube. The content first fills the dip tube and then reaches the lotion pump cavity.

　　Step 3-Once the actuator is released, the spring will reposition to its original position. The ball returns to its standby position and seals the tank, shutting off the flow of contents so that 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 its rest position, the contents of the reservoir 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 on the main components of the lotion pump and its working principle. If you think we have missed some important information, please feel free to share it with our readers via the comments below.