Angular Bottle Clamp With Two-Dimensional Contact for Secure Shaking
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing holding clamps for round containers are poorly suited for angular bottles with flat side surfaces, leading to inadequate fixation, increased wear, and potential breakage during shaking movements due to point or linear contact, which can result in contamination and loss of contents.
Innovation Solution
A holding clamp designed with flat contact surfaces on the arms that engage the angular bottle's side surfaces two-dimensionally, avoiding point loads and using spacer tabs to keep tensile elements outside the vessel receiving space, allowing secure fixation and easy one-handed operation.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If conventional holding clamps with point or linear contact are used for angular bottles, then the clamp structure is simple, but the fixation is inadequate and the bottle corners experience selective loading leading to material failure
Solution Approach 1:
The patent transitions from point or linear contact (0D/1D) to two-dimensional flat contact surfaces on the holding arms. This dimensional change allows the clamp to distribute forces across a larger area of the bottle's flat side surfaces, preventing selective loading at corners while maintaining structural simplicity.
2Force
If tensile elements contact the angular bottle at corners during shaking, then the holding force is concentrated, but this causes selective loading and material failure over time
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts the tensile elements from direct contact with the bottle by positioning them outside the vessel receiving space. This separation eliminates the harmful selective loading at bottle corners while preserving the necessary holding force through the flat contact surfaces on the holding arms.
Solution Approach 2:
The flat contact surfaces on the holding arms act as intermediaries between the tensile elements and the bottle. Instead of tensile elements contacting the bottle directly at corners, they transmit force through the holding arms' flat surfaces, distributing the load evenly across the bottle's side surfaces.
3Ease of operation
If holding arms are pulled apart manually to accommodate angular bottles, then the bottle can be inserted, but this is laborious and reduces operational efficiency
Solution Approach 1:
The holding arms are pre-configured with flat contact surfaces and positioned to naturally accommodate angular bottles without requiring manual separation. The clamp structure is designed beforehand to match the geometry of angular containers, enabling direct insertion and improving operational efficiency.
4Strength
If point or linear contact is used with angular bottles, then the clamp design is simple, but the contact area is insufficient to securely fix heavy angular bottles
Solution Approach 1:
The patent increases the contact area by transitioning from point or linear contact to two-dimensional flat contact surfaces on the holding arms. This dimensional expansion provides sufficient contact area to securely hold heavy angular bottles without requiring complex multi-component structures.
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 provides secure, long-term fixation of angular bottles without wear, preventing breakage and contamination, while enabling easy and safe handling during shaking movements.
Implementation Method 1
At least one resilient tensile element, for example a spring, in particular a metal spring, is usually stretched between the holding arms. The holding arms can therefore be pulled apart against the tensile force of the tensile element, the tensile element then pulling the holding arms toward one another.
Data Source
AI summary
A holding clamp for holding an angular bottle with flat side surfaces on a shaking platform of a laboratory shaking device, comprising a base plate having a fastening device for fastening the holding clamp on the shaking platform, at least two holding arms which protrude from the base plate and which form a vessel receiving space arranged between the holding arms, and at least one resilient tensile element which is stretched between the holding arms, wherein at least one flat contact surface designed for contact with the bottle is arranged on each of the holding arms, and in that the holding arms are designed in such a way that the flat contact surface can be brought into contact two-dimensionally with one of the flat side surfaces of the angular bottle.