Bucket Hold-Down Strap and Foot Levers for Stable Mixing

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Solution Overview

Problem

Five-gallon polyethylene buckets are unstable during mixing procedures, often causing costly spills, property damage, and potential injuries due to lack of secure grip and tendency to tip or spin out of control.

Innovation Solution

A bucket hold-down device with a metal strap and spring-loaded foot-pads that clamp around the bucket's base, allowing adjustable fit and secure footing to prevent movement during use.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Ease of operation

If the bucket is trapped between the feet or knees during mixing, then the worker can hold the bucket without additional equipment, but the bucket remains unstable and can move, tip over, or spin out of control

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveease of holding bucketVSAvoidstability of bucket

Core Design Contradiction:

Ease of operationVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

The patent introduces a strap as an intermediary device that wraps around the bucket and connects to foot levers. This mediator transfers the worker's weight into a securing force, solving the contradiction by providing both ease of operation (simple foot activation) and reliability (stable bucket positioning through the strap mechanism)

Inventive Principle:

Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

2Device complexity

If a secure grip on the bucket is achieved using body weight, then additional equipment is avoided, but the bucket still moves, tips over, or spins out of control

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvesimplicity of equipmentVSAvoidstability of bucket

Core Design Contradiction:

Device complexityVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

The patent employs dynamic foot levers that can swing between a raised position (for portability and ease of attachment) and a lowered position (for securing the bucket). This dynamic mechanism allows the simple device to provide reliable stability when needed while maintaining simplicity and adaptability

Inventive Principle:

Principle #15Dynamics

3Reliability

If the bucket is stabilized using a complex securing system, then spills and injuries are prevented, but the device becomes cumbersome and difficult to use

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvestability of bucketVSAvoidease of use of device

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSEase of operation

Solution Approach 1:

The foot levers are designed to be activated by the worker's own body weight when stepping on them. The system uses the worker's natural motion and weight to automatically secure the bucket, eliminating the need for manual adjustment or complex operation while maintaining high reliability

Inventive Principle:

Principle #25Self-service

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 stabilizes the bucket, preventing spills and injuries by ensuring it remains stationary during mixing, while being easy to use and adaptable to various bucket sizes.

Implementation Method 1

there are two spring-loaded swing-down members, i.e., foot-pads or step-pads

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectSpring: Spring

Data Source

PatentUS7651060B2Bucket hold-down with strap and foot levers

Publication Date: 2010.01.26 ROTH RUSSELL W

AI summary

A hold-down for a common pail used in mixing paints, drywall compound, or other applications has a pair of swing-down, spring-loaded step-pads secured to the base of the pail. There can be a strap for this purpose, with an adjustable draw latch.