Discharging Device Locking Element for Child-Proof Caps
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing discharging devices, such as those described in EP 1 051 262 B1, are not effective in preventing improper actuation by children, as they can be overcome by applying force to the manual actuator, posing a risk of accidental access to pharmaceutical liquids.
Innovation Solution
Incorporating a displaceable locking element that is constrainedly coupled to the manual actuator, which extends through a hole in the outer housing into the cap region, preventing actuation when the cap is in its safety position, and allowing for various cap types, including screw-threaded caps, to enhance security and flexibility.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If extensions are provided on the cap to block displacement of the manual actuator, then actuation is prevented when the cap is in place, but the cap cannot be made child-proof (e.g., screw-threaded) and children can overcome the protection by applying force
Solution Approach 1:
The locking function is extracted from the cap and transferred to a separate locking element that is part of the discharging device. This allows the cap to be any type (including child-proof screw-threaded caps) while the locking element independently provides the actuation-blocking function through its interaction with the manual actuator.
Solution Approach 2:
The safety function is segmented into two independent components: the cap (which can be any type including child-proof variants) and the locking element (which provides the actuation block). This segmentation allows each component to be optimized independently - the cap for child-proof properties and the locking element for reliable actuation blocking.
2Reliability
If a screw-threaded cap is used to prevent children from removing it, then child-proof protection is improved, but the cap cannot be combined with extensions that block the manual actuator
Solution Approach 1:
The actuator-blocking function is extracted from the cap structure and implemented as a separate locking element in the discharging device. This enables the cap to be any type (including screw-threaded child-proof caps) without requiring modifications to accommodate blocking extensions.
Solution Approach 2:
The locking element serves multiple functions: it blocks the manual actuator when the cap is in place, and it can be designed to work with any cap type including screw-threaded, snap-fit, or other configurations, making the system universally compatible.
3Reliability
If the locking element is attached to the manual actuator, then the locking element remains on the device after cap removal and is protected by the housing, but the structure becomes more complex
Solution Approach 1:
The locking element is merged with the manual actuator as an integrated component. This combination ensures the locking element remains properly positioned and protected by the housing throughout operation, while simplifying assembly and reducing the number of separate parts compared to alternative configurations.
Data Source
AI summary
A discharging device for discharging liquids includes an outer housing encompassing an inner chamber, a liquid storage receptacle, a discharge orifice, a delivery device for delivering liquid from the storage receptacle to the discharge orifice, a cap that covers the discharge orifice when present on the outer housing in a safety position, and a manual actuator adapted to actuate the delivery device and which is movable relative to the outer housing between a neutral relative position and an actuated relative position. The cap and the manual actuator cooperate so that displacement of the manual actuator is mechanically blocked when the cap is in its safety position. A locking element that is movable in relation to the outer housing is constrainedly coupled with the movement of the manual actuator and extends in the actuated position through a hole in the outer housing to a region that the cap blocks when mounted in its safety position.