Dental Adhesive Storage Container with Flexible Outer Shell

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Solution Overview

Problem

Conventional storage containers for dental adhesives lack stability during use, leading to inconsistent drop amounts and potential temperature-induced expansion, making them unsuitable for precise application and storage.

Innovation Solution

A storage container design featuring an elongated cylindrical shape with a discharge port and a protruding tail portion for improved handling stability, combined with an outer container for heat insulation and deformability to facilitate controlled liquid discharge.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Ease of operation

If the storage container is pressed by thumb and index finger to drop adhesive, then the adhesive can be discharged, but the drop amount becomes inconsistent and unstable

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveease of dischargeVSAvoiddrop amount consistency

Core Design Contradiction:

Ease of operationVSManufacturing precision

Solution Approach 1:

The container is designed with a flexible outer container that can be easily deformed by finger pressure. This flexibility allows for controlled discharge while maintaining consistent drop amounts through the deformable structure that regulates fluid flow during pressing operations.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #30Flexible shells and thin films

Solution Approach 2:

The invention changes the physical state and flow characteristics of the adhesive by controlling the deformation of the flexible container. By manipulating the flexibility and deformation parameters of the container wall, consistent drop amounts are achieved while maintaining ease of operation.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #35Parameter changes

2Ease of operation

If the storage container is tilted to drop adhesive, then discharge is facilitated, but the adhesive flows out uncontrollably and drops onto places other than the dish

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveease of dischargeVSAvoiddischarge control accuracy

Core Design Contradiction:

Ease of operationVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

The flexible container structure allows the adhesive to be discharged through controlled deformation rather than tilting. The flexibility enables the container to be pressed in any position while maintaining control over the discharge location, preventing uncontrolled flow.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #30Flexible shells and thin films

Solution Approach 2:

The invention replaces the mechanical tilting method with a pressure-based discharge system. Instead of relying on gravity from tilting, the flexible container uses controlled pressure application through finger pressing to regulate adhesive flow, achieving both ease of discharge and location accuracy.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #28Mechanics substitution (Replace mechanical system)

3Quantity of substance

If the storage container is made small with maximum height of 5 cm, then trace amount application is enabled, but the container becomes unstable during handling

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveadhesive quantity controlVSAvoidcontainer stability

Core Design Contradiction:

Quantity of substanceVSStability of the object's composition

Solution Approach 1:

The flexible outer container provides structural stability during handling while maintaining a compact size. The flexibility allows the container to be stable during finger pressing operations, enabling trace amount application without compromising handling stability.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #30Flexible shells and thin films

4Adaptability or versatility

If the adhesive composition shifts to low viscosity with water or volatile solvent, then wettability and permeability improve, but the adhesive flows out by itself when the container is tilted

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvewettability and permeabilityVSAvoiddischarge control reliability

Core Design Contradiction:

Adaptability or versatilityVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

The flexible container structure compensates for the low viscosity and high mobility of water-based adhesives. The deformable wall provides controlled pressure regulation that prevents uncontrolled flow while maintaining the adhesive's improved wettability and permeability properties.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #30Flexible shells and thin films

Solution Approach 2:

The invention changes the discharge mechanism from gravity-based (tilting) to pressure-based (pressing). This parameter change in the discharge mechanism allows low viscosity adhesives to be controlled reliably while maintaining their improved fluid properties for better wettability and permeability.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #35Parameter changes

5Ease of operation

If the storage container is taken out of the refrigerator, then the adhesive reaches room temperature for use, but the volatile solvent expands and causes unexpected spouting or continuous dropping

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveease of useVSAvoiddischarge stability

Core Design Contradiction:

Ease of operationVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

The flexible outer container acts as a thermal buffer that prevents rapid temperature changes in the adhesive. This thermal insulation property allows the container to be easily handled at room temperature without causing sudden expansion of the volatile solvent, maintaining discharge stability.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #30Flexible shells and thin films

Solution Approach 2:

The flexible container structure provides beforehand cushioning against temperature-induced expansion. The deformable wall and flexible structure absorb and mitigate the effects of thermal expansion, preventing unexpected spouting or continuous dropping when the adhesive is taken out of the refrigerator.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #11Beforehand cushioning (Prior cushioning)

Applied Scientific Principles

This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.

Function Achieved in This Case

The design ensures stable and precise drop control, reduces temperature-induced expansion, and enhances handling convenience, allowing for accurate and efficient application of dental adhesives.

Implementation Method 1

an outer container surrounding an outer periphery of the container portion is further provided... a technique as disclosed in Japanese Patent No. 3572158 has been developed to prevent a temperature increase by heat transfer from fingers in such a dropping operation process

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectThermal insulation: Thermal Insulation

Implementation Method 2

the outer container is formed to extend in the longitudinal direction so as to have a function of the tail portion... When a storage container thus taken out of the refrigerator is handled, body heat from fingers is transferred via the storage container to the adhesive

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectElastic deformation: Elasticity

Data Source

PatentUS8662350B2Storage container for dental adhesive

Publication Date: 2014.03.04 SHOFU INC

AI summary

There is provided a storage container for a dental adhesive that allows a stable dropping operation during use of a dental adhesive and smooth fine dropping work such as strict control of an amount of drops with high reproducibility, and can prevent expansion of an adhesive stored in the storage container caused by a temperature increase. A storage container for a dental adhesive is used, including a cylindrical container portion that can store a liquid such as an adhesive therein, wherein one end surface of the container portion has a discharge port communicating with an outside, the other end surface of the container portion is closed by a bottom wall, and a tail portion is formed protruding from the bottom wall to the side opposite from the discharge port.