Child-Resistant Dispensing Container with Sliding Tray and Flexible Lock
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing containers for dispensing solid consumable products, such as pharmaceuticals, lack effective child-resistant mechanisms that prevent accidental access to the entire contents and do not ensure secure closure.
Innovation Solution
A container design featuring a depressible button and projections within an outer casing, combined with a sliding inner tray and flexible locking tab, allowing for a child-resistant locking mechanism that can be unlocked to dispense products meteredly through a dispensing aperture, ensuring secure closure and convenient handling.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If a traditional cap requiring downward pressure and twisting is used for child resistance, then child access is prevented, but immediate access to entire contents is provided if opened and no secondary prevention mechanism exists
Solution Approach 1:
The container is divided into an outer casing and an inner tray that can be independently manipulated. The inner tray holds the product and can be removed from the outer casing, creating separate functional zones. This segmentation allows the locking mechanism to control access to the inner tray while maintaining the ability to remove and secure the tray separately, preventing both accidental and intentional access to entire contents.
Solution Approach 2:
The locking mechanism is designed to be engaged automatically when the container is closed, providing preliminary prevention of access before any opening attempt. The button must be depressed to disengage the locking tab from the projection, creating a preliminary barrier that must be actively overcome. This preliminary action ensures that even if a child opens the container, they cannot access the product without actively defeating the locking mechanism.
2Reliability
If a locking mechanism with multiple components is implemented, then child resistance and secure closure are enhanced, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The locking tab is made from flexible material that can elastically deform during the locking and unlocking process. This flexibility eliminates the need for complex springs, levers, or multiple moving parts traditionally required for locking mechanisms. The flexible tab simply deflects when the button is pressed and returns to its original position, engaging or disengaging from the projection based on its elastic deformation, thereby reducing structural complexity while maintaining reliable locking.
Solution Approach 2:
The locking mechanism is self-actuating through the user's normal closing action. When the container is closed, the button is naturally pressed, which automatically deflects the flexible locking tab to engage with the projection, securing the container without requiring any additional locking steps. Similarly, pressing the button again automatically disengages the lock. This self-service design eliminates the need for separate locking and unlocking mechanisms, reducing overall device complexity.
3Volume of moving object
If the container is designed for handheld size, then portability and storage convenience are improved, but space for effective locking mechanism is limited
Solution Approach 1:
The inner tray is nested within the outer casing, with the locking mechanism components (button, flexible tab, projection) integrated into the walls of these nested structures. The button is formed in the bottom wall of the outer casing, the projection extends from the inner tray wall into the cavity, and the flexible tab is formed in the inner tray wall. This nesting arrangement allows all locking components to be contained within the limited space of a handheld container while maintaining full locking functionality.
Solution Approach 2:
The button serves multiple functions: it acts as a user interface element, a actuator for the locking mechanism, and a structural feature of the container closure. The flexible locking tab simultaneously provides the locking engagement surface and the mechanical linkage between the button and the projection. The projection serves both as the locking anchor point and as a feature that interacts with the flexible tab during engagement. This multi-functionality reduces the number of separate components needed, allowing effective locking within limited space.
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 container effectively combines child-resistance with convenient size, providing secure storage and metered dispensing of products, preventing accidental access while allowing controlled dispensing of individual units.
Implementation Method 1
a flexible locking tab positioned proximal to the first end, and an opening adjacent to the flexible locking tab, the flexible locking tab comprising a first segment extending toward the second end of the inner tray and a second segment extending transversely from the first segment
Data Source
Figure 1~3
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AI summary
The invention provides a dispensing container including an outer casing (12) having an open end (20), a top (14), a bottom (16), sidewalls extending between the top and bottom, and an interior compartment, wherein the outer casing (12) further includes a depressible button (40) in the top or bottom and at least one projection (46) adjacent to the depressible button that extends into the interior compartment; and an inner tray (28) slidably received within the interior compartment of the outer casing. The inner tray includes a first end received within the outer casing, an opposing second end extending outwardly from the outer casing, a flexible locking tab (42) positioned proximal to the first end, and an opening adjacent to the flexible locking tab, the flexible locking tab including a first segment (52) extending toward the second end of the inner tray and a second segment (54) extending transversely from the first segment. The second segment is positioned to engage the projection.