Adjustable Fragrance Sample Holder with Retaining Structures
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Solution Overview
Problem
Fragrance sample bottles in retail settings are difficult to use and differentiate due to their small size and unattractive, uniform appearance, leading to frequent loss and underutilization.
Innovation Solution
A sample holder with an adjustable interior cavity and a cap that securely holds fragrance bottles of varying lengths, featuring a friction fit or threaded connection, and an aesthetically enhanced exterior design to prevent accidental discharge and improve usability.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of manufacture
If fragrance samples are distributed in small cylindrical bottles, then they are easy to distribute and store, but they are difficult to operate and differentiate
Solution Approach 1:
The patent places the small fragrance bottle inside a larger holder structure. The holder encapsulates the difficult-to-operate small bottle, providing external features (larger cap, textured grip surfaces, visible differentiation) that make the overall system easier to handle and identify, while the small bottle remains nested inside for storage efficiency.
Solution Approach 2:
The holder acts as an intermediary between the user and the small fragrance bottle. Instead of directly manipulating the difficult small bottle, users interact with the holder's larger cap and grip surfaces. The holder mediates the interaction by providing ergonomic features while protecting and presenting the small bottle.
2Ease of manufacture
If fragrance bottles are made small and uniform, then they are easy to store and distribute, but they become hard to differentiate and attract
Solution Approach 1:
The holder introduces aesthetic differentiation at the local level of the external housing while keeping the internal bottle uniform. Features such as textured grip surfaces, patterned exteriors, and varied cap designs provide visual and tactile differentiation without requiring changes to the standardized internal fragrance bottles.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent adds a new dimension of differentiation by introducing external holder characteristics that are independent of the bottle's intrinsic properties. The holder's shape, surface texture, color, and decorative elements create differentiation in a new dimensional space, allowing uniform bottles to be distinguished through their containers.
3Device complexity
If no cap is provided on the holder, then the structure remains simple, but accidental discharge of fragrance cannot be prevented
Solution Approach 1:
The holder's cap provides preliminary protection by covering the bottle opening before any accidental discharge can occur. The cap is positioned in advance to prevent unintended spray activation, and must be deliberately removed by the user before the fragrance can be dispensed, thereby preventing accidental harmful effects.
4Device complexity
If the holder accommodates only one bottle size, then the structure is simpler, but it cannot accommodate bottles of different lengths
Solution Approach 1:
The holder incorporates adjustable elements such as movable retaining walls or flexible retaining structures that can adapt their position based on the inserted bottle's dimensions. This dynamic adjustment capability allows the same holder structure to securely accommodate bottles of varying lengths without requiring multiple specialized holders.
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
The sample holder enhances user experience by securely holding and differentiating fragrance bottles, preventing accidental discharge, and providing an attractive carrying solution for various bottle sizes, thereby reducing loss and improving utilization.
Implementation Method 1
The cap preferably mates with the body via a friction fit or threaded connection
Implementation Method 2
The body comprises an interior cavity having one or more retaining structures for releasably retaining the bottles within the cavity
Data Source
AI summary
The sample holder is configured to releasably and securely hold fragrance sample bottles therein. The sample holder generally comprises a body and a cap. The cap preferably mates with the body via a friction fit or threaded connection. The body comprises an interior cavity having one or more retaining structures for releasably retaining the bottles within the cavity. A length of the cavity is also adjustable to accommodate sample bottles of different lengths. An exterior of the body may comprise a pattern, material, or fabric to enhance the aesthetics of the sample holder.