Actuator – Add inner guiding skirt for stability

[YourGenus]

Current actuator design relies solely on the valve stem for alignment, which can lead to instability (tilting/wobbling), especially due to large actuator diameter.
A secondary guidance feature is required to improve stability during actuation.

Proposed solutions (to be evaluated):
Option A – Inner guiding skirt

• Add a downward-extending inner skirt
• Guides against pump collar or internal geometry
• Provides radial constraint close to the stem axis

Option B – Outer guiding interface (body-guided)

• Use the outer actuator wall or skirt to guide against Body

Creates a larger-diameter guidance surface, improving resistance to tilt

Goal

• Reduce actuator wobble and tilting
• Improve alignment under off-axis loading
• Enhance perceived quality and user control

Design considerations

• Clearance vs. friction (avoid sticking)
• Tolerance stack-up between actuator and body/pump
• Maintain full vertical stroke freedom
• Assembly compatibility
• Injection molding feasibility

Open questions / risks

• Which concept provides better stability: inner vs. outer guidance?
• Risk of friction or squeaking with outer guidance
• Sensitivity to dimensional variation (especially for body-guided design)
• Need for combination solution (inner + outer guidance)

Next steps

• Develop concept variants:
  • Inner skirt
  • Outer guiding wall
  • Hybrid solution
• 3D print and compare stability performance
• Evaluate user feel and actuation smoothness

Priority
Backlog (dependent on v0.1.5 validation results)