Container Cap With Spacer-Controlled Membrane Dispensing
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing caps for dispensing compounds into containers require complex operations and are designed for single use, discouraging reuse and ease of use.
Innovation Solution
A cap device with a body and lid configuration that allows for simple, reusable dispensing operations, featuring a membrane-sealed opening, a protrusion, and a spacer that transitions between states to facilitate easy dispensing without significant force, enabling translational and rotational movements.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If previous caps are designed for single use with a force required to separate the lid and body, then tampering or contamination of the compound is prevented, but the force required is so great as to discourage the user and the cap cannot be reused
Solution Approach 1:
The cap is divided into separate components (body, lid, spacer, membrane) that can be independently manipulated. The membrane is a separate seal layer that can be broken without separating the entire cap structure, while the spacer can be removed to enable lid movement. This segmentation allows the cap to maintain security during storage but enable easy operation during use.
Solution Approach 2:
The membrane is pre-installed to seal the compound in the body before use, providing immediate protection against tampering or contamination. The spacer is pre-positioned to maintain the sealed state during storage. When the user removes the spacer, the preliminary sealing action is maintained until the moment of dispensing, at which point the membrane breaks to allow compound flow.
2Productivity
If previous caps require complex operations such as a combination of rotational and translational movements of the lid relative to the body, then the compound can be dispensed, but the complex operations discourage the user
Solution Approach 1:
The spacer is extracted or removed from the cap assembly to enable the dispensing function. The spacer acts as a blocking element that prevents lid movement when attached. By simply removing the spacer, the user enables compound dispensing through straightforward translational movement of the lid, eliminating the need for complex rotational and translational combinations required in previous designs.
Solution Approach 2:
The cap transitions from a static sealed state (with spacer attached) to a dynamic dispensing state (with spacer removed). The membrane transitions from an intact sealed condition to a broken open condition, allowing compound flow. This dynamic transition is achieved through simple lid movement rather than complex operations, improving ease of use while maintaining productivity.
3Productivity
If the opening penetrates through the central axis of the body by a first length, then the compound can be dispensed, but the protrusion length must be greater than the first length to penetrate the membrane, requiring precise dimensional control
Solution Approach 1:
The membrane is implemented as a thin, flexible film that can be easily penetrated by the protrusion. This flexible membrane requires less precise dimensional control compared to a rigid barrier, as it can deform and break with minimal force when the protrusion pushes against it. The membrane's flexibility compensates for variations in protrusion length, reducing manufacturing precision requirements.
Solution Approach 2:
The membrane material properties are selected to be easily penetrable by the protrusion. By changing the physical parameters of the sealing layer (using a thin, flexible membrane rather than a thick rigid barrier), the design reduces the criticality of the protrusion length dimension. The membrane can be penetrated with a range of protrusion lengths, providing manufacturing tolerance.
Data Source
Figure 1
Figure 2
Figure 3A~3B
AI summary
A cap for accommodating a compound includes a body with an opening. The opening penetrates from an upper to a lower end portion of the body by a first length. A membrane seals a lower end portion of the opening. A lid is removably coupled and moveable relative to the body. The lid includes a protrusion extending downwardly from an interior surface of the lid by a second length greater than the first length. The opening accommodates a lower end portion of the protrusion. A spacer removably couples with the lid and interposes between the lid and the body. The spacer configurable between a first state in which the spacer is engaged with the lid, which prevents the protrusion from penetrating the membrane, and a second state in which the spacer is disengaged with the lid, which allows the protrusion of the lid to penetrate the membrane of the body.