Dispensing Container Cap Guide Webs for Dental Compound

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Solution Overview

Problem

Existing dispensing containers for dental materials risk contamination of the dental compound due to particles being scraped off the tip and guided into the channel opening during cap attachment, potentially mixing with the compound and causing adverse consequences.

Innovation Solution

The design features a cap with multiple guide webs on its inner surface, ensuring the first contact with the dispensing tip occurs at the guide webs, directing particles to the free spaces between them, thus preventing contamination, and providing a sealing closure using a conical projection around the channel opening.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Ease of manufacture

If the cap has a smooth inner surface that rests flat on the dispensing tip, then the cap can be easily attached and provides a simple sealing closure, but particles are scraped off the tip and guided into the channel opening causing contamination

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvecap design simplicityVSAvoidcontamination of dental compound
Core Design Contradiction:
Ease of manufactureVSObject-affected harmful factors

Solution Approach 1:

The inner surface of the cap is segmented into multiple guide webs that are radially spaced apart. These guide webs divide the contact area into discrete segments, allowing particles to be directed into the spaces between them rather than being guided continuously toward the channel opening. This segmentation resolves the contradiction by maintaining structural simplicity while preventing contamination.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

The guide webs act as intermediary structures between the cap's inner surface and the dispensing tip. They mediate the attachment process by providing controlled contact points that redirect particles away from the channel opening, thus preventing contamination while still enabling secure attachment.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

2Stability of the object's composition

If the cap inner surface contacts the entire circumference of the dispensing tip, then stable centering is achieved during attachment, but friction generates particles that contaminate the dental compound

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvecentering stabilityVSAvoidparticle contamination
Core Design Contradiction:
Stability of the object's compositionVSObject-affected harmful factors

Solution Approach 1:

The continuous circumferential contact is segmented into discrete guide web structures. This segmentation maintains centering stability through multiple radially spaced contact points while reducing overall friction and preventing particle generation that would occur with continuous surface contact.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

Instead of uniform contact across the entire circumference, the cap provides localized contact at specific guide web positions. This local quality approach maintains adequate centering stability while minimizing the total contact area and associated friction that generates contaminating particles.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #3Local quality

3Reliability

If the cap is designed to seal the channel opening effectively, then the dental compound is protected between uses, but the attachment process may contaminate the compound with particles

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvesealing effectivenessVSAvoidcontamination during attachment
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSObject-affected harmful factors

Solution Approach 1:

The guide webs are positioned to engage the dispensing tip before the cap's sealing surface contacts the channel opening area. This preliminary action directs particles away from the opening during the initial attachment phase, preventing contamination before the seal is formed.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #10Preliminary action

Solution Approach 2:

The guide webs serve as intermediary structures that manage the particle flow during attachment, separating the particle-generating friction zone from the sealing zone. This allows effective sealing to be achieved without compromising compound purity.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

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

This design effectively reduces the risk of contamination by ensuring particles are displaced to the side, away from the channel opening, while maintaining a secure and leak-proof seal between uses.

Implementation Method 1

When the cap is attached to the dispensing tip, there is usually contact between the dispensing tip and the inner surface of the cap. The dispensing tip slides along the inner surface of the cap... When the convex outer surface of the dispensing tip is moved along the concave inner surface of the cap, the friction can scrape particles off the surface.

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectFriction: Friction

Data Source

PatentEP2696794B1Dispensing container for dental compound
Publication Date: 2019.03.13 TRANSCODENT
  • EP2696794B1 patent drawingFigure 1~2
  • EP2696794B1 patent drawingFigure 3~4
  • EP2696794B1 patent drawingFigure 5~6

AI summary

The invention relates to a dispensing container for a dental compound. The dispensing container comprises a chamber (15), a discharge tip (16) and a channel (17), which extends from the chamber (15) as far as a channel opening (18) arranged at the front end of the discharge tip (16). The discharge tip (16) has a jacket surface (23) tapering towards the front end. A cap (20) is provided which has an inner surface adapted to the jacket surface (23) of the discharge tip (16). According to the invention, the inner surface of the cap (20) has a plurality of guide webs (24). The invention also relates to a cap for a dispensing container of this kind. The dispensing container according to the invention reduces the likelihood of the dental compound being contaminated by particles.