Child-Resistant Airtight Container With Squeeze-Lift Opening
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing child-resistant containers are difficult for elderly or disabled individuals to use and often fail to provide adequate protection against environmental factors, and lack features for efficient inventory management and stacking.
Innovation Solution
A modular container system comprising a tray frame, tray insert, and child-resistant containers that are air-tight, liquid-tight, and humidity-controlled, with features such as annular sealing rings, locking mechanisms, and stackable designs, along with RFID tags and tamper-evident seals for enhanced security and inventory management.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If traditional screw-cap or pop-top closure mechanisms are used to achieve child resistance, then child safety is improved, but ease of operation deteriorates for elderly or disabled individuals with wrist and finger joint inflammation or arthritis
Solution Approach 1:
The container is divided into a base portion and a cap portion with distinct functional zones. The cap includes a pushable surface for actuation, while the base includes a recessed area that receives the cap. This segmentation allows the opening mechanism to be simplified into a single pushing motion rather than requiring twisting or complex manipulations.
Solution Approach 2:
The traditional screw-thread mechanical coupling is replaced with a push-button actuation system. A pushable surface on the cap transmits force through a push rod to disengage the cap from the base. This substitution replaces the need for rotational torque with a linear pushing motion that is easier for individuals with limited hand dexterity to perform.
2Ease of manufacture
If conventional container designs are used, then manufacturing simplicity is maintained, but protection against environmental factors such as moisture, temperature, bacteria or air deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
An annular sealing ring made of elastomeric material is positioned between the cap and base portions. This flexible sealing element creates an effective barrier against moisture, air, and bacteria while conforming to the mating surfaces. The elastomeric material provides reliable sealing without adding complex manufacturing steps, as the sealing ring can be molded into the cap or base during standard injection molding processes.
3Ease of manufacture
If simple container designs are used, then ease of manufacture is maintained, but features for counting, sorting, stacking and efficient inventory management are lacking
Solution Approach 1:
The container includes a color code indicator that provides visual information for inventory management. Different colors or color patterns can indicate different product types, expiration dates, or storage requirements. This visual coding system enables quick identification and sorting during inventory operations without adding physical complexity to the container structure.
Solution Approach 2:
The container design incorporates external features such as ribs, flanges, or interlocking elements that enable stable stacking in vertical arrangements. These features add functionality in the vertical dimension, allowing containers to be stacked efficiently for storage and transport while maintaining a simple overall form factor that does not complicate manufacturing.
4Reliability
If multi-step opening processes are used to prevent child access, then child resistance is improved, but ease of operation deteriorates requiring high mental and physical dexterity
Solution Approach 1:
The container incorporates a tamper-evident seal that automatically indicates when the container has been opened or compromised. This self-service feature provides child resistance through visual evidence rather than requiring complex opening sequences. The seal breaks or changes appearance when the cap is removed, making it clear if the container was accessed without proper authorization.
Solution Approach 2:
The cap is designed with a pushable surface that initiates a predetermined sequence of events: pushing the surface activates a release mechanism that disengages the cap from the base. This preliminary action of pushing prepares the opening mechanism for the subsequent removal motion, simplifying the overall process into two straightforward steps rather than requiring multiple complex manipulations.
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 system provides easy access for elderly or disabled users while maintaining child-resistance, protecting contents from environmental degradation, and facilitating efficient stacking and inventory management.
Implementation Method 1
an annular sealing ring positioned on an inner surface of the container cap
Implementation Method 2
The container cap and container base form an enclosure with a locking mechanism
Data Source
AI summary
Disclosed herein are modular container systems having child-resistant containers, tray inserts and tray frames. Also disclosed are methods using the modular container systems and methods of storing substances in containers. The containers have a container base and a container cap and provide for child-resistant containers. A user can releasably remove the container cap from container base with a squeeze and lift sequence. For example, the user squeezes opposite sides of the container base, which releases a locking mechanism and allows for removal of the cap by lifting or pulling the container cap off from the container base. The components of the modular container system are modular and stackable. The modular system allow for organized, efficient, accessible and storage of the child-resistant containers. The modular container system also allows for easy counting, sorting and processing of the containers.