Blister Pack Opening Prongs for Child-Resistant Battery Carriers
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing blister packs for products like batteries are difficult to open due to the frangible material being designed to be child-resistant, making it hard for both children and adults to remove items efficiently.
Innovation Solution
A device with a U-shaped member having spaced legs and a prominent member that can be moved together to engage with the compartment, using prongs to break the frangible material and displace the product through an aperture, facilitating easy removal.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If the frangible material is made hard to break for child-resistant measures, then safety against child access is improved, but ease of opening for adults deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The device introduces an intermediary tool with prongs that mediates between the user and the hard frangible material. The prongs concentrate applied force onto specific weak points in the foil, enabling adults to open the pack easily while the foil remains sufficiently hard to resist child access. This intermediary mechanism resolves the contradiction by providing a controlled way to apply force without requiring the user to directly overcome the high strength of the frangible material.
Solution Approach 2:
The device changes the parameter of force application by concentrating it onto specific points rather than distributing it uniformly. The prongs create localized stress concentrations at predetermined weak points in the frangible material, allowing the material to be made generally strong for safety while still being openable through focused application of force at these specialized locations.
2Reliability
If the frangible material is designed to be difficult to break, then child-resistant protection is improved, but the time required to open the pack deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The device performs preliminary action by pre-positioning prongs at specific locations that correspond to predetermined weak points in the frangible material. These weak points are strategically placed during pack manufacturing, allowing the foil to maintain high overall strength for child-resistant protection while having pre-identified vulnerability points that can be exploited quickly with the opening device.
Solution Approach 2:
The pronged device acts as an intermediary that rapidly transfers the user's opening action directly to the pre-positioned weak points in the foil. This intermediary mechanism eliminates the need for prolonged attempts to break the hard material, significantly reducing opening time while maintaining the foil's inherent child-resistant strength.
3Ease of operation
If excessive force is applied to break the frangible material, then opening capability is improved, but damage to the product deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The device applies local quality by concentrating force at specific localized points where the frangible material has predetermined weak points, rather than applying force uniformly across the entire foil. The prongs are positioned to target these specific locations, allowing the material to be made generally strong while having controlled weak points that enable opening with minimal overall force, thereby protecting the product from damage.
Solution Approach 2:
The pronged device serves as an intermediary that controls and directs the application of force to predetermined safe locations in the frangible material. This intermediary mechanism prevents uncontrolled excessive force from damaging the product by channeling the opening action through the prongs to pre-identified weak points, ensuring that only the foil breaks rather than the enclosed product.
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 device allows for easy and efficient opening of blister packs without requiring excessive force, minimizing damage to the product and user safety risks.
Implementation Method 1
the engaging means comprise a prominent member which provides a face arranged to initially engage an upstanding side edge of the compartment under pressure so as to deform same and cause the product to break the frangible material
Implementation Method 2
engage an upstanding side edge of the compartment under pressure so as to deform same and cause the product to break the frangible material
Data Source
AI summary
A device (1) for use with a battery carrier (10) defining at least one sealed compartment (12) in which a product (14) is located and which is at least partly formed of a frangible material (20), the device (1) having a support for supporting the carrier (10) with the compartment (12) aligned with an aperture (8) in the support, and an engaging device for engaging with the compartment (12) whereby to break the frangible material (20) and displace the product (14) from the compartment (12) through the aperture (8). The support and the engaging device are normally spaced apart but are relatively movable to effect product (14) displacement, the support including at least one prong (15, 16) arranged in the aperture (8) in order to break the frangible material (20) when the engaging device displaces the product (14).