Dual-Mode Container Lock Catch for Secure Closure and Refilling
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing lockable container arrangements for consumable materials, such as dispensers in kitchens and toilets, face issues with proper locking mechanisms that require separate snap-locks and are inconvenient for refilling, especially in private settings where multiple individuals may need access.
Innovation Solution
A lockable container arrangement with a lock catch that can be operated by either a key or a push button, allowing for selective mode switching between key-operated and push-button operated modes, using a lock cylinder that is rotatable and axially displaceable to engage or disengage the lock catch, facilitating secure closure and easy refilling.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If a separate snap-lock is provided to maintain the container closed when the key is not used, then the container can be opened by hand without using a key, but the complexity of the container and the cost for materials and assembly increase
Solution Approach 1:
The lock catch is designed to perform dual functions: it acts as both the locking mechanism (when engaged with the locking protrusion) and the snap-lock (when disengaged). This merging of functions eliminates the need for a separate snap-lock component, reducing container complexity while maintaining the capability to open by hand without a key
Solution Approach 2:
The lock catch is designed as a multi-functional component that can operate in two modes: locked position (engaging with locking protrusion) and unlocked position (acting as snap-lock). This universal design allows a single component to replace what would traditionally require multiple separate parts, addressing both security and ease of operation requirements
2Reliability
If the lock catch is designed to engage a locking protrusion for secure locking, then the container can be properly locked, but the mechanism becomes more complex compared to simple snap-lock arrangements
Solution Approach 1:
The locking protrusion and lock catch are integrated into the same component structure, eliminating the need for separate locking components. The lock catch itself forms the locking mechanism by engaging with its own protrusion, simplifying the overall locking mechanism while maintaining reliable locking capability
Solution Approach 2:
The lock catch is designed to be self-actuating through spring means that automatically engage or disengage the locking protrusion based on the position of the lock cylinder. This self-service mechanism reduces the need for complex actuating systems while ensuring reliable locking and unlocking operations
Data Source
AI summary
A lockable container arrangement includes an interior and an exterior, the container includes a base part, a cover pivotally attached to the base part for displacement between a closed position in which the cover and the base delimit a substantially enclosed space and an open position, a lock mounted on the container, the lock including a lock catch operable from the exterior of the container, which lock catch engages a receiving portion to lock the container. The container arrangement can be selectively set in a key operated mode where the lock catch is operable by a key, or in a push button operated mode where the lock catch is operable by the application of a force onto the lock by a user.