Cap Unit Sliding Lid Mechanism for Easy Detachment and Cleaning

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Solution Overview

Problem

Existing cap units with elastic click portions are difficult to attach and detach, and the gap between these portions is hard to clean, with a complex mold structure that complicates the design.

Innovation Solution

A cap unit with a lid opening/closing mechanism featuring plungers and guide grooves that allow the lid to slide and lock in different positions, using a simple structure with guide recesses and locking portions for easy attachment and detachment, and separate cleaning of the cap and lid components.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Reliability

If elastic click portions are provided on the lid body to hold the lid on the cap body, then the lid can be secured in position, but it becomes difficult to attach and detach the lid and clean the gap between the click portions

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvelid holding reliabilityVSAvoidlid attachment and detachment ease
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSEase of operation

Solution Approach 1:

The lid opening/closing mechanism is segmented into distinct components: plungers on the lid, guide grooves on the cap body, and locking portions. This segmentation allows the lid to be easily attached and detached while maintaining secure holding, as each component has a specific function and can be cleaned separately.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

The locking function is extracted from the lid body itself and implemented through the plunger-guide groove-locking portion mechanism. The plungers engage with the guide grooves and are locked by the locking portions, separating the holding function from the lid body structure and making the gap accessible for cleaning.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #2Taking out (Extraction)

2Reliability

If elastic click portions are provided on the lid body, then the lid can be held on the cap body, but the mold shape becomes complicated

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvelid holding reliabilityVSAvoidmold complexity
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSEase of manufacture

Solution Approach 1:

The mechanism is divided into separate moldable components: the cap body with guide grooves and locking portions, and the lid with plungers. This segmentation allows each part to be manufactured with simpler molds compared to integrating elastic click portions directly into the lid body, reducing overall mold complexity while maintaining holding reliability.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #1Segmentation

3Ease of operation

If the lid is slidably attached to the cap body to open and close the liquid passage port, then the lid can be easily operated, but it becomes difficult to detach and clean the lid separately

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvelid sliding operationVSAvoidlid cleaning accessibility
Core Design Contradiction:
Ease of operationVSEase of repair

Solution Approach 1:

The sliding mechanism is segmented into detachable components with the plunger-guide groove interface. The lid can slide along the guide grooves during operation but can also be completely detached by releasing the locking portions, enabling easy cleaning of both the lid and cap body separately while maintaining smooth sliding operation during use.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #1Segmentation

Data Source

PatentEP4346526B1Cap unit and container with cap
Publication Date: 2025.10.22 THERMOS K K
  • EP4346526B1 patent drawingFigure 1
  • EP4346526B1 patent drawingFigure 2
  • EP4346526B1 patent drawingFigure 3

AI summary

One object of the present invention provides a cap unit 1 capable of easily attaching and detaching a lid 8 to and from a cap body 7 while having a simple structure, and the present invention provides a cap unit 1 including: a cap body 7 which closes the upper opening 6 of the container body 2 and is provided with a liquid passage port 6 in an upper part on the front side; a lid 8 which opens and closes the liquid passage port 6 while being slidably attached to the cap body 7; and a lid opening/closing mechanism 9 which holds the lid 8 which slides between a closing position at which the lid 8 closes the liquid passage port 6 and an opening position at which the lid 8 opens the liquid passage port 6 in the closing position and the opening position, wherein the lid opening/closing mechanism 9 includes: a pair of plungers 13 protruding from both sides in the width direction of the lid 8; and a pair of guide grooves 14 which are located on both sides of the cap body 7 in a width direction sandwiching the lid 8, and slidably guide the cap body 7 in a state in which the pair of plungers 13 are detachably engaged with the pair of guide grooves 14.