Childproof Container Stopper With Spring-Loaded Slide Mechanism
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing stoppers for containers do not effectively prevent infants from accessing potentially harmful contents, as they can be easily removed by children through levering off mechanisms that are not secure enough to prevent accidental or intentional opening.
Innovation Solution
A childproof stopper design featuring a ring-shaped neck with a circular bottom section and a head section that includes a slide mechanism, where the slide is pushed against a spring force to extend beyond the container rim, requiring both hands to hold and lever the stopper off, making it difficult for infants to remove.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If the stopper is designed with a simple lever mechanism, then it is easy to operate, but infants can easily remove it and access the container contents
Solution Approach 1:
The stopper employs a dynamic slide mechanism that moves between retracted and extended positions. In the retracted position, the stopper appears simple and smooth. When the slide is pushed forward, it extends beyond the container rim to enable lever removal. This dynamic transformation allows the stopper to switch between childproof mode (slide retracted) and adult access mode (slide extended), resolving the contradiction between security and ease of operation
Solution Approach 2:
The stopper is divided into functional segments: the bottom section that seals the container, the head section that houses the slide, and the slide itself that acts as both a protective barrier and a removal tool. This segmentation allows each component to serve multiple functions - the slide既是 a safety barrier when retracted,又is a lever arm when extended, thus achieving both childproof security and ease of operation for adults
2Ease of operation
If the slide is always extended beyond the container rim, then it is easy to lever off, but infants can easily grip and remove it
Solution Approach 1:
The slide is designed to be dynamically positioned rather than fixed. A spring mechanism automatically retracts the slide into the head section when not in use, making the stopper childproof. When needed, an adult can push the slide forward to extend it beyond the rim for easy lever removal. This dynamic positioning resolves the contradiction by making the stopper secure when the slide is retracted and easy to open when the slide is extended
Solution Approach 2:
The spring device exerts a preliminary retracting force on the slide to prevent infants from accessing the container. This preliminary anti-action (automatic retraction) counteracts any attempt by children to use the slide as a lever, ensuring childproof security while still allowing adults to override the mechanism when needed
3Reliability
If the slide is held against spring force during lever movement, then the stopper can be removed, but it requires two hands making it difficult for infants
Solution Approach 1:
The removal procedure is segmented into distinct steps: first push the slide forward with one hand, then use the extended slide as a lever with the other hand to pry off the stopper. This segmentation of the removal action into separate hand operations makes it inherently difficult for infants who lack the coordination for multi-step procedures, while still being manageable for adults
Solution Approach 2:
The slide must be pushed forward into the extended position before the lever removal can begin. This preliminary action creates a preparatory state that infants cannot achieve independently, as it requires understanding the sequence of operations and having the manual dexterity to execute them, thereby enhancing childproof security
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 stopper is effectively childproofed as it requires complex actions from an infant to remove, ensuring high security against accidental access to the container contents, thus preventing potential harm.
Implementation Method 1
the slide returns into the retracted initial position as a result of the spring force
Implementation Method 2
the slide can be pushed against the force of a spring device in one direction over the rim of the container
Data Source
AI summary
A stopper which engages a neck of a container. The stopper includes a circular bottom section and a head section which rises above the container and encompasses a slide. The rim of the head section has a maximum diameter that does not exceed the external diameter of the opening of the container. The slide can be pushed against the force of a spring device in one direction and, when released, returns to its retracted initial position as a result of the spring force. Opposing sides of the slide each end in circumferential sections. A first one of the circumferential sections forming an outer surface for receiving a first applied force for advancing the slide and causing the second one of the circumferential sections to protrude from the stopper. The second one of the circumferential sections receiving a second different applied force to remove the stopper from the container.