Ampoule Opener With Retaining O-Ring For Safe Head Ejection
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing ampoule opening methods pose risks of injury from sharp glass fragments, strain on the forearm due to manual pressure control, and inefficient disposal, as they require users to manually retain and manage the ampoule head during opening.
Innovation Solution
A device featuring a resiliently expandable O-ring or quad ring as a retaining mechanism, combined with an elongate member for ejection, allows the ampoule head to be automatically retained and easily ejected, reducing manual strain and enhancing safety by providing ideal pressure points for lever action, thus minimizing the force required for opening.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If manual finger pressure is used to hold and break the ampoule, then the opening operation can be performed, but the user is at risk of injury from sharp glass fragments
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces a protective device with a body and deformable lip portions that act as an intermediary between the user's fingers and the ampoule head. The lips engage the ampoule head and provide a protective barrier, allowing the user to apply force without direct finger contact with potential glass fragments.
Solution Approach 2:
The device divides the force application function into separate components: the lips engage and hold the ampoule head, the body provides structural support and protection, and the user applies force to the external surface. This segmentation allows each component to perform its specific function safely.
2Object-affected harmful factors
If protective covers with deformable lips are used, then injury risk is reduced, but the user must still manually control and regulate finger pressure to avoid crushing the ampoule head
Solution Approach 1:
The device allows the ampoule head to engage and be held by the lips automatically when placed in the body. The resilient lips self-adjust to accommodate the ampoule head without requiring manual pressure regulation, eliminating the need for the user to continuously control finger pressure.
Solution Approach 2:
The lips are made resilient and deformable, allowing them to change their physical state from a relaxed position to an engaged position that automatically adapts to the ampoule head dimensions, eliminating the need for precise manual pressure control.
3Productivity
If repeated ampoule opening operations are performed manually, then the task can be completed, but the user experiences repetitive strain injury to the forearm
Solution Approach 1:
The device acts as a mechanical intermediary that absorbs and distributes the forces required for breaking ampoules. The body and lip structure provide leverage and force distribution, reducing the strain on the user's forearm during repeated operations.
4Ease of operation
If the ampoule head is manually retained during opening, then the opening can be controlled, but safe disposal of the head becomes difficult
Solution Approach 1:
The device's body and lip structure serve as an intermediary holding mechanism that securely retains the ampoule head during the breaking operation and facilitates safe disposal. The design allows the head to be held without direct finger contact and provides a controlled method for disposal after use.
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 solution reduces the risk of injury, minimizes forearm strain, and facilitates safe disposal by automating the retention and ejection of the ampoule head, allowing for efficient and ergonomic ampoule opening with reduced manual effort.
Implementation Method 1
The retaining device is a resiliently expandable O-ring of elastomeric material. The elasticity of the O-ring allows it to be used with differently sized ampoule heads.
Data Source
Figure 1~2(b)
Figure 3(a)~3(c)
Figure 4(a)~5(b)
AI summary
An ampoule opener (1) has a cylindrical body portion (10) with a cavity (11) at an end thereof adapted to receive at least part of the head portion (53) of an ampoule (50). A retaining mechanism, such as an resiliently expandable O-ring (30), is provided at the entrance to the cavity (11) for retaining the head portion (53) at least partially within the cavity (11) after it has been inserted therein. The head portion (53) may be detached from the remainder of the ampoule (50) by holding the ampoule (50) in a first hand with the head portion uppermost, holding the cylindrical body portion (10) having the head portion (53) retained therein in the other hand with the thumb uppermost, and causing relative movement between the body portion (10) and the ampoule (50). The ampoule opener (1) includes a plunger (20) for ejecting the head portion (53) from the cavity after it has been detached.