Container Draining Cradle With Keyed Sliding Lock and Hidden Probe
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing automated diagnostic analyzers face issues with messy and cumbersome processes for refilling onboard tanks with liquid solutions, potential for incorrect liquid connections due to multiple dip tube assemblies, and safety hazards from exposed piercing probes.
Innovation Solution
A cradle apparatus with a sliding lock mechanism that allows only matching containers to be inserted, featuring a piercing probe that punctures the container cap when correctly aligned, and includes sensors and indicators to ensure accurate liquid transfer.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Productivity
If exposed piercing probes are used to drain liquid containers, then liquid transfer can be achieved, but safety hazards occur for operators
Solution Approach 1:
The piercing probe is extracted from an exposed state and enclosed within a shielded housing structure. The probe remains hidden within the housing until needed, at which point it extends through a sealed opening to pierce the container cap, then retracts back into the housing. This extraction and enclosure approach maintains the probe's functionality while eliminating the safety hazard of exposed sharp elements.
Solution Approach 2:
A sealed opening or membrane acts as an intermediary between the enclosed probe and the external container cap. The probe pierces this intermediary barrier to access the container while maintaining the protective enclosure. This intermediary structure allows the probe to perform its function without being permanently exposed, thus resolving the contradiction between functionality and safety.
2Adaptability or versatility
If multiple dip tube assemblies are used for multiple onboard tanks, then different liquids can be stored, but connection errors occur leading to wrong liquid transfer
Solution Approach 1:
Each cradle assembly is equipped with asymmetric identification features such as colored indicators, unique geometric patterns, or coded markings that correspond to specific liquid types. The container caps also have matching asymmetric features. This asymmetric coding system ensures that only the correct container type can be properly aligned and pierced by the corresponding cradle, preventing connection errors while maintaining the ability to store multiple different liquids.
Solution Approach 2:
The system incorporates visual or tactile feedback mechanisms that guide the operator to the correct container-cradle pairing. Indicators on the cradles and containers provide real-time feedback about compatibility, such as aligned markers that only match when the correct combination is present. This feedback mechanism ensures reliable connections while supporting multiple liquid storage options.
3Adaptability or versatility
If manual screw cap installation and dip tube assembly insertion are required, then containers can be connected to tanks, but the process becomes messy and tedious
Solution Approach 1:
The cradle assembly merges multiple functions into a single integrated unit: it holds the piercing probe, provides the sealing interface, incorporates the locking mechanism, and displays identification information. Similarly, the container cap combines the closure function with the identification features and alignment markers. This merging of functions eliminates the need for separate manual steps of cap installation, dip tube insertion, and connection securing, making the refilling process simple and clean while maintaining connection flexibility.
Solution Approach 2:
The container-cradle system is designed to be self-aligning and self-securing. The asymmetric identification features automatically guide proper alignment when the container is placed in the cradle. The locking mechanism automatically engages when the correct container is positioned, eliminating the need for manual intervention to secure the connection. This self-service approach maintains versatility while dramatically improving ease of operation.
Data Source
Figure 1
Figure 2A~2C
Figure 3A~3B
AI summary
Cradles for draining liquid from containers are described herein. An example apparatus includes a housing having a bottom wall, a side wall and an open top. The housing is to receive a container having liquid. The example apparatus includes a probe extending upward from the bottom wall toward the open top and is to drain the liquid from the container when the probe is inserted into the container. The example apparatus also includes a sliding lock slidably disposed within the housing that receives a cap or top of the container when the container is inserted into the housing. The sliding lock includes a key slot. The sliding lock is movable when a cap or top of the container has a matching key that engages the key slot, which enables the sliding lock to move downward to expose the probe and drain the liquid from the container.