Irreversible Capsule Locking via Mechanical Wedging
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing locking caps for containers, particularly in the medical field, face challenges in ensuring irreversible separation of the cap from the capsule and preventing repositioning of the capsule, which affects the secure sealing and access to the container's contents.
Innovation Solution
The locking cap employs a system where the capsule is fixed to the cap using wedging lugs that exert a tightening and bending constraint, making the detachment irreversible and preventing repositioning, utilizing a vice-like mechanism between the ring and the muzzle to secure the capsule in place.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If the capsule is welded to the ring, then the attachment is secure and irreversible, but the manufacturing process becomes complex and requires specialized equipment
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces the welding process (thermal/chemical joining) with a purely mechanical interference fit system. The capsule and ring are designed with complementary geometries that create an irreversible mechanical lock through friction and geometric constraint, eliminating the need for welding equipment and complex manufacturing processes while maintaining secure attachment
Solution Approach 2:
The closure system is divided into separate components (capsule, ring, muzzle) that are assembled together through mechanical interference. Each component is manufactured independently using simple molding processes, then joined through the interference fit mechanism, simplifying both manufacturing and allowing for easier disposal of individual components
2Ease of operation
If the capsule is detachably fixed to the cap, then access to contents is enabled, but the risk of unauthorized access or repositioning increases
Solution Approach 1:
The system provides two distinct states: a locked state where the capsule is securely fixed to prevent unauthorized access, and an unlocked state where the capsule can be easily removed to access contents. The mechanical interference fit naturally transitions between these states based on applied force, providing dynamic security that adapts to user needs
Solution Approach 2:
The capsule is designed as a single-use, disposable component that is discarded after one-time access. This eliminates the need for complex locking mechanisms and ensures that once the capsule is removed, the container cannot be resealed, preventing unauthorized access or repositioning while maintaining ease of access during use
3Reliability
If the capsule is irreversibly separated from the cap, then single-use security is ensured, but the device cannot be reused or repositioned
Solution Approach 1:
Instead of designing a system that allows easy repositioning and then secures it through complex locking mechanisms, the patent inverts the approach: the capsule is designed to be easily removable for access, and the irreversible separation is achieved through the simple act of removal itself. The mechanical interference fit ensures that once removed, the capsule cannot be repositioned, providing security through simplicity rather than complexity
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
This solution ensures a secure, irreversible attachment of the capsule to the cap, preventing unauthorized access and rehydration, while allowing controlled access to the container's contents by breaking the capsule, thus ensuring single-use security and ease of use.
Implementation Method 1
a system for wedging the fixing lugs of the cap in the cap which exerts a tightening constraint on the two faces of the cap
Implementation Method 2
system for wedging the fixing lugs of the cap in the cap which exerts a tightening constraint
Implementation Method 3
a bending constraint on the legs in an oblique direction (for example perpendicular) with respect to the axial direction
Data Source
Figure 1~2
Figure 3~7
AI summary
The invention relates to a locking cover (1), made of a molded plastic material, for a vessel having a neck, intended for locking a plug (4) in the neck (3) of the vessel (2), including a wire-cap (6) which surrounds the plug and the neck, a ring (7) which is attached around the wire-cap (6) and shaped so as to have a central opening (17) providing access from the outside of the cover (1) to the inside of the vessel via the plug, and a cap (23) attached to the ring and shaped so as to close said opening (17). The cap (23) comprises attachment tabs (25) which are spaced apart from each other along the annular periphery of the opening (17) of the ring (7) and which are clamped between the ring (7) and the wire-cap (6).