Tamper-Evident Dosing System with Breakable Ring
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing containers for liquid products lack a mechanism to prevent reutilization after opening, which can lead to unsafe refilling and incorrect liquid administration, as they do not provide both tamper evidence and a non-refillable, tamper-proof dosage unit.
Innovation Solution
A dispensing system comprising a cap with a ring that breaks into sections upon opening, a dosage unit with a protrusion or edge that interferes with the container's shoulder surface, and a container design that secures the dosage unit, preventing reassembly and refilling by ensuring the ring cannot be reattached.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If a tamper evident cap mechanism is implemented, then consumer safety through opening detection is improved, but the container can still be refilled and reused which creates safety risks
Solution Approach 1:
The cap is divided into two separate parts: a cap body and a ring. The ring is further segmented into multiple sections that can be detached. This segmentation allows the ring to be removed and discarded after opening, preventing refilling while maintaining the tamper evident function of the cap body.
Solution Approach 2:
The ring component is extracted from the cap assembly as a separate, removable element. This extracted ring serves as a tamper-proof seal that can be removed during opening but cannot be reattached, thereby preventing container refilling while preserving the cap's primary sealing function.
2Ease of operation
If the container allows opening and closing for multiple uses, then ease of operation is improved, but the ability to prevent refilling with wrong substances is lost
Solution Approach 1:
The ring is designed to be removed during the initial opening action and cannot be reattached. This preliminary removal action permanently disables the container's ability to be refilled, preventing harmful refilling with wrong substances while allowing normal opening and closing operations for the intended single-use purpose.
Solution Approach 2:
The ring is designed as a disposable component that is removed during opening and discarded. This disposable element provides a simple, cost-effective solution to prevent refilling without compromising the main container structure or requiring complex prevention mechanisms.
3Reliability
If a non-refillable mechanism is added to prevent reuse, then safety against refilling is improved, but the device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The cap is segmented into a cap body and a separate ring, where the ring contains the anti-refilling functionality. This segmentation isolates the complexity to a single removable component rather than requiring a complex integrated system, simplifying both manufacturing and the user's understanding of the mechanism.
Solution Approach 2:
The anti-refilling mechanism is extracted as a separate ring component that is removed during opening. This extraction allows the main cap body to remain simple and functional, while the anti-refilling feature is provided by the separate, disposable ring that does not require reattachment.
Data Source
AI summary
The present invention refers to an improved dispensing system for liquid dispensing in the form of drops, comprising: a cap; a dosage unit having a skirt showing a protrusion or edge at its lower end; and a container having a shoulder surface located at the inner part of the shoulder, wherein the shoulder surface holds the dosage unit through interfering with said protrusion or edge of the insert thus avoiding that the dosage unit can be removed from the container. While opening the improved dispensing system according to the present invention, a ring attached to the cap body breaks in sections, preventing said ring to be relocated in the cap and, thus, avoiding that the dosage unit can be reused for filling a different substance.