Pressurised Container Cap Locking for Intentional Valve Release
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing dispensing caps for pressure vessels lack intuitive and safe handling mechanisms, particularly in ensuring the valve remains closed until deliberate user action, and require complex unlocking procedures.
Innovation Solution
A dispensing cap design featuring a locking element within the cap body that moves from a first to a second position, allowing easy manual removal without tools, and an actuating lever that transitions the locking element to facilitate intuitive and deliberate unlocking of the valve.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If a locking element is used to secure the valve stem in the closed position, then the reliability of preventing unintentional opening is improved, but the ease of operation deteriorates due to complex unlocking procedures
Solution Approach 1:
The locking element is segmented into distinct functional zones: a head portion that engages with the valve stem to prevent opening, and a body portion that can be actuated by the user. This segmentation allows the locking function to be separated from the actuation function, enabling reliable locking while maintaining ease of operation through simple user interaction with the body portion.
Solution Approach 2:
The locking element is pre-positioned in a locked state where the head portion automatically engages with the valve stem. This preliminary action ensures the valve is secured before use, and the user only needs to perform a simple actuation motion to transition between locked and unlocked states, rather than dealing with complex unlocking procedures.
2Device complexity
If the locking element is completely recessed in the cap body, then the device complexity is reduced, but the ease of operation deteriorates as the user cannot easily grasp and remove it
Solution Approach 1:
The locking element exhibits local quality differentiation: the head portion remains recessed or flush with the cap body to maintain a simple overall structure, while the body portion extends outward to provide a grasping surface. This localized extension provides the necessary ergonomics for easy manual removal without adding significant structural complexity to the entire device.
Solution Approach 2:
Instead of requiring the user to dig into or manipulate a completely recessed locking element, the design inverts the approach by providing a protruding body portion that naturally presents itself for grasping. This inversion of the expected configuration makes the locking element intuitively accessible while maintaining structural simplicity.
3Ease of operation
If the locking element protrudes significantly from the cap body, then the ease of operation is improved for grasping, but the device complexity increases due to additional structural requirements
Solution Approach 1:
The locking element protrudes only to the extent necessary for comfortable finger grasping, rather than extending excessively. This controlled local protrusion provides adequate ergonomics while minimizing the structural modifications required in the cap body, thereby balancing ease of operation with device simplicity.
Data Source
Figure 1A~1B
Figure 2A~2B
Figure 3a~3g
AI summary
Dispensing cap (30) for a pressure vessel (10) with a valve (11), wherein the valve (11) has a movable valve stem (12) and can be opened by moving the valve stem (12) from a closed position, wherein the dispensing cap (30) comprises a cap body (31), a confirmation element (32) which is movably attached to the cap body (31) and is suitable for moving the valve stem (12) from the closed position, and a locking element (34), characterized in that the locking element (34) in a first locking position is substantially located in a receiving space (35) of the cap body (31) and fixes the valve stem (12) in the closed position, wherein the actuating element (32) has driving means by which, when the actuating element (32) is moved, the locking element (34) is at least partially moved from the receiving space (35) from the first locking position to a second locking position.in which a handle end (38) of the locking element (34) protrudes from the cap body (31), so that the locking element (34) can be pulled out of the receiving space of the cap body (31) by the fingers of a human hand without tools. The invention also relates to a container (1) comprising the dispensing cap (30) and the pressure vessel (10).