Adjustable Valve Grip for Gas Cylinder Accessibility
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Solution Overview
Problem
Valve handles on portable gas cylinders are difficult to locate and operate, especially for individuals with physical limitations or poor vision, due to their small size and similar coloration with surrounding items, leading to insufficient existing methods for quick location and effortless adjustment.
Innovation Solution
An adjustable valve grip with colored components that are easily visible, capable of being snap-fit over the valve handle, and featuring a threaded screw for adjustment, allowing for firm contact and reduced effort in operation.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Device complexity
If the valve handle is made small and simple, then the device structure is simplified, but the visibility and ease of operation deteriorate
Solution Approach 1:
The valve grip is divided into two separate portions: a first portion that snaps onto the valve handle and a second portion that provides the gripping surface. This segmentation allows each part to be optimized independently - the first portion remains compact for simple attachment while the second portion extends to provide a large, easy-to-grip surface area.
Solution Approach 2:
The valve grip extends in multiple dimensions beyond the simple valve handle. The first portion attaches to the handle while the second portion extends outward to provide a larger gripping surface, effectively adding spatial dimensions to solve the ease of operation problem without complicating the core valve mechanism.
2Device complexity
If the valve handle is made small and simple, then the device structure is simplified, but the visibility deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The valve grip incorporates colored elements (red or other high-visibility colors) on both the first and second portions. This color coding significantly enhances visibility against the background of typical gas cylinder colors, allowing users to quickly locate the valve handle without adding structural complexity.
3Device complexity
If a fixed-size grip is used, then the device structure is simplified, but the adaptability to different valve handles deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The valve grip incorporates adjustability through a threaded screw mechanism that allows the distance between the first and second portions to be modified. This dynamic adjustment capability enables the grip to adapt to various valve handle sizes and configurations, transforming a potentially fixed-structure device into a versatile solution.
Solution Approach 2:
The adjustable spacing between the first and second portions of the valve grip allows users to change the dimensional parameters of the grip to match different valve handle sizes. This parameter adjustment is achieved through the threaded connection that permits flexible positioning.
Data Source
AI summary
According to some embodiments, an adjustable valve grip is presented. In an embodiment, the adjustable valve grip comprises a first portion and a second portion wherein the second portion is operatively connected to the first portion and wherein the first portion is dimensioned such a way that the first portion is capable of being snap-fit over a gas cylinder valve handle and wherein the second portion is dimensioned in such a way as to be capable of being adjusted through its operative connection to the first portion so that when the first portion has been snap fit over a gas cylinder valve handle a user can adjust the second portion to bring the second portion into firm contact with the gas cylinder valve handle, and wherein at least one of the first portion, or the second portion, or both are colored in such a way as to be easily visible to the human eye.