Container Flange Design for Inadvertent Opening Prevention
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Existing container designs with discontinuous flanges lack protection against inadvertent opening and do not provide sufficient hoop strength for secure handling and transport.
Innovation Solution
A container with a continuous flange positioned below the closure displacement lever to prevent accidental activation, combined with a lever structure that allows intentional disengagement of the lid, enhancing hoop strength and preventing unintentional opening.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If a discontinuous flange is used with the lever, then the lever can be accessed for opening the container, but the container becomes vulnerable to inadvertent opening during handling
Solution Approach 1:
The flange is segmented into multiple portions positioned at different locations (above and below the lever). This segmentation allows the flange to provide both lever accessibility and inadvertent opening prevention through its distributed structure, where specific portions serve specific protective functions while maintaining overall structural integrity.
Solution Approach 2:
The flange acts as an intermediary element between the lever and the container body. By positioning flange portions at specific distances from the lever, it mediates the interaction between handling forces and the lever mechanism, blocking inadvertent activation while allowing intentional operation through the displacement mechanism.
2Ease of operation
If a discontinuous flange is used, then the lever can be exposed for operation, but the container's hoop strength is reduced
Solution Approach 1:
The flange is divided into multiple portions positioned at different locations around the container. This segmentation allows strategic placement of flange portions to maintain hoop strength at critical locations while still exposing the lever for operation, balancing structural integrity with operational accessibility.
Solution Approach 2:
Different portions of the flange have different configurations optimized for their specific functions. The flange portions near the lever are configured to allow lever access and operation, while other portions maintain continuous structure to provide maximum hoop strength and structural support where needed.
3Device complexity
If the flange is positioned close to the lever, then the container is compact, but the lever becomes prone to accidental activation during handling
Solution Approach 1:
The flange is segmented into multiple portions positioned at different distances from the lever. This allows the container to maintain compact overall dimensions while creating specific zones where the flange portions block inadvertent lever activation. The segmented structure provides both compactness and protective spacing where needed.
Solution Approach 2:
The flange portions act as intermediary barriers between handling surfaces and the lever. By positioning these portions at specific distances from the lever, they mediate the spatial relationship between the container body and the lever, preventing accidental activation while maintaining compact container dimensions.
Data Source
AI summary
A device used to aid in the opening of a container that further protects against the inadvertent opening of the container, as well as provides greater hoop strength when compared to similar containers for use in, among other things, the containment, storage, transport and/or handling of a material, is described herein.