Cooler Lid Lock Mechanism for Stable Opening in Tight Spaces
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Solution Overview
Problem
Coolers with detachable lids often lead to lid misplacement, while those with attached lids are difficult to open and maintain open, especially in small spaces where a full 90-degree rotation is not possible.
Innovation Solution
A cooler design featuring a lock mechanism that allows the lid to be positioned and held open at angles less than 90 degrees relative to the cavity, using a first component extending from the body and a second component from the lid that contact each other to prevent closure, enabling secure access without requiring manual holding.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If the lid is detachable from the body, then it is easy to open and close the cooler, but the lid can be easily misplaced and lost
Solution Approach 1:
A lock mechanism serves as an intermediary element between the detachable lid and body, providing a secure connection when closed while maintaining the ability to easily detach. The lock includes a body-attached component and a lid-attached component that engage to prevent accidental separation during normal use.
2Reliability
If the lid is attached to the body via hinge, then the lid cannot be misplaced, but it requires more than 90 degrees rotation to stay open and is difficult to open in small spaces
Solution Approach 1:
The lock mechanism transitions from a static hinge connection to a dynamic system where the lid can be positioned at various angles and secured. The lock components allow the lid to remain stationary at any desired angle between closed and fully open positions, adapting to space constraints without requiring full rotation.
Solution Approach 2:
The attachment system is segmented into discrete lock components distributed between the body and lid, replacing the single hinge point. This segmentation allows independent positioning and locking at multiple angles, providing flexibility in confined spaces.
3Volume of moving object
If the lid is allowed to rotate less than 90 degrees, then the cooler can be stored in small spaces, but the lid will fall back toward closed position and cannot remain open
Solution Approach 1:
The lock components act as intermediary elements that provide stabilizing force to hold the lid at reduced rotation angles. The body-attached and lid-attached components engage to counteract gravitational and wind forces that would otherwise cause the lid to fall closed, enabling stable positioning at angles less than 90 degrees.
Data Source
AI summary
A cooler for holding ice and other items includes a body defining a cavity operable to hold ice and other items, a lid, and a lock operable to hold the lid in an open position. The body has a first region that defines an opening and a second region. The lid is coupled with the second region of the body, and positionable to a closed position and to an open position. The lock includes a first component that extends from the body's second region, and a second component that extends from the lid. The first component and the second component are each configured to contact each other, when the lid is in the open position, to prevent the lid from moving toward the closed position, and to allow the lid to move toward the open position, when the lid is in the closed position.