Electro-Mechanical Lid for Sealed Cup to Reduce Germ Exposure
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing liquid containers, such as those for coffee and tea, often expose the lid and reservoir to user hands, increasing the risk of germ and bacteria transmission during access and consumption.
Innovation Solution
A sealed cup with an electro-mechanical lid that includes a lower container, an upper container with internal components, and a pivot mechanism controlled by a printed circuit board, motor, and buttons, which minimizes direct contact by automatically opening and closing the lid to provide a spout for liquid access while protecting internal components from liquids.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Object-affected harmful factors
If the lid is manually opened and closed for liquid access, then the user can consume the liquid, but the lid and reservoir are exposed to user hands increasing germ and bacteria transmission risk
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces the manual mechanical lid operation with an automated electro-mechanical system. A motor driven by a battery and controlled by a circuit board automatically opens and closes the lid through a gear mechanism, eliminating direct contact between the user's hands and the lid/reservoir while maintaining liquid access functionality.
2Object-affected harmful factors
If the lid is automatically opened and closed, then germ exposure is reduced, but the device complexity increases with electro-mechanical components
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements a nested structure where the motor is positioned inside the lid, the gear mechanism is integrated within the lid structure, and all electro-mechanical components are contained within the cup body. This nesting approach minimizes the overall device footprint and integrates complexity within existing structural boundaries rather than adding external components.
3Reliability
If internal components are protected from liquid, then reliability is improved, but the device complexity increases with additional protective structures
Solution Approach 1:
The patent divides the cup into distinct sealed compartments: the liquid reservoir, the internal compartment housing electro-mechanical components, and the lid. Each compartment is separated by gaskets and seals, creating independent sealed zones. This segmentation allows components to be protected from liquid without requiring complex protective structures around each individual component.
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 solution reduces germ exposure and protects internal components by creating a controlled mechanism for accessing the liquid, enhancing hygiene and usability.
Implementation Method 1
A motor is connected to the PCB and operates responsive to user input
Implementation Method 2
The motor is connected to a worm and worm gear. The motor's movement transfers to the worm's bi-rotational movement and thereby the worm gear
Implementation Method 3
When the worm gear rotates, a pivot mechanism causes the lid to pivot to either expose or enclose the spout rotationally
Data Source
AI summary
A sealed cup with an electro-mechanical lid is implemented, which is configured to reduce the amount of exposure the lid and liquid reservoir have to the user's hands, and thereby germs. The cup includes a lower container inside which liquid (e.g., coffee, tea, soda, alcohol, etc.) can be poured for future consumption by the user. The cup includes an upper container that secures to the lower container, such as through corresponding threads that engage responsive to user turning. The upper container stores various electro-mechanical components, including a PCB (printed circuit board), processor, memory, motor, and gears, to enable opening and closing of the lid responsive to user input. The electro-mechanical components are protected via some internal housing components that prevent the liquid in the lower container from coming into contact with those components.