Detergent Container Lock With Precision Pinch Closure
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Solution Overview
Problem
Detergent containers face challenges in protecting the contents from humidity while ensuring reliable locking mechanisms that prevent accidental opening, particularly in cardboard containers which are prone to mechanical deformation and require ergonomic design for adult use.
Innovation Solution
A container design utilizing a 'precision pinch' mechanism with a lock actuator that aligns thumb and finger forces through reciprocal feedback, combined with a support element to maintain lid closure and prevent accidental opening, using environmentally friendly materials like cardboard.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If a lock mechanism is designed to reliably prevent accidental opening, then the locking reliability is improved, but the device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The lock mechanism is divided into distinct functional components: a lockable element on the lid, a corresponding receptacle on the box, and a actuator mechanism. This segmentation allows each component to perform its specific function reliably while keeping the overall design manageable and not excessively complex.
2Reliability
If a robust lock mechanism is implemented to prevent accidental opening, then the locking reliability is improved, but the ease of operation deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The lock mechanism incorporates reciprocal feedback through the interaction between the actuator and the lockable element. When the actuator is pressed, it directly engages or disengages the lockable element, providing immediate tactile feedback to the user. This feedback loop ensures that the user knows when the lid is properly locked or unlocked, maintaining ease of operation while ensuring reliable accidental opening prevention.
3Ease of manufacture
If cardboard material is used for the container, then the environmental friendliness is improved, but the mechanical strength deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The cardboard container is designed with locally reinforced areas where mechanical strength is critical, such as around the lock mechanism, hinge points, and lid attachment areas. The rest of the container maintains standard cardboard thickness for environmental friendliness. This localized reinforcement provides the necessary mechanical strength at key points without requiring the entire container to be made from heavier, stronger material.
Solution Approach 2:
The lock mechanism itself is designed as a composite structure, combining cardboard components with potentially reinforced elements or strategic layering techniques. The interaction between the lid and box locking surfaces creates a composite locking system that leverages the structural properties of cardboard in a way that maximizes strength where needed while maintaining the overall environmental benefits of using cardboard material.
Data Source
AI summary
Examples include a consumer product including a box including a detergent product, a lid and a lock. The lid includes flanks covering a specific portion of a sidewall of the box. The lock includes a specific actuator moveable by applying an actuation pressure, the specific actuator being connected to the specific portion, the flanks including a specific actuation area facing the specific actuator and permitting displacing it by applying the actuation pressure.