Child Resistant Pouch Zipper with Local Quality Design

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Solution Overview

Problem

Reclosable zipper pouches are easily openable for children, posing a risk for harmful contents, while being difficult for adults and senior citizens to open securely.

Innovation Solution

A reclosable zipper pouch design featuring interlocking profile members with distinct operable and non-operable sections, where the operable section allows easy opening with a pulling force applied along the zipper-operable section, and the non-operable section prevents unlocking when force is applied, ensuring the pouch remains closed.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Ease of operation

If a reclosable zipper pouch is designed to be easily openable, then ease of operation is improved, but child safety is worsened due to potential access to harmful contents

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveease of openingVSAvoidchild safety risk

Core Design Contradiction:

Ease of operationVSObject-affected harmful factors

Solution Approach 1:

The zipper closure is designed with different attachment characteristics in different sections: the first section has full attachment to prevent opening, while the second section has reduced attachment to allow opening. This local differentiation resolves the contradiction by making the pouch child-resistant at the critical sealing area while remaining accessible to adults when needed.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #3Local quality

2Object-affected harmful factors

If a reclosable zipper pouch is designed to be difficult to open for children, then child safety is improved, but ease of operation for adults and senior citizens is worsened

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvechild safetyVSAvoidease of opening

Core Design Contradiction:

Object-affected harmful factorsVSEase of operation

Solution Approach 1:

The zipper closure is divided into multiple sections along its length, with the first section having full attachment to the pouch wall to prevent child opening, and the second section having reduced attachment to enable adult opening. This segmentation allows different operational characteristics in different zones, resolving the contradiction between child safety and adult accessibility.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #1Segmentation

3Reliability

If the zipper closure has full attachment along the entire length, then reliability of closure is improved, but ease of operation is worsened due to difficulty in opening

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveclosure securityVSAvoidease of opening

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSEase of operation

Solution Approach 1:

The zipper closure transitions from full attachment in the first section to reduced attachment in the second section. This local quality change allows the closure to be secure and reliable at the sealing end while being easily openable at the operational end, resolving the contradiction between closure reliability and ease of opening.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #3Local quality

Data Source

PatentUS9573730B2Child resistant pouch having recloseable zipper and methods

Publication Date: 2017.02.21 JPMORGAN CHASE BANK N A AS SUCCESSOR ADMINISTRATIVE AGENT & COLLATERAL AGENT

AI summary

A reclosable zipper pouch includes a zipper-operable section and a zipper-non-operable section to provide difficulty to a child to open the pouch, and remain easy for an adult or senior citizen to open the pouch.