Eye Shield Dispenser with Rotating Horizontal Holder
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional containers for storing, shipping, and dispensing eye shields often require an undesirable depth dimension, make it difficult to load the shields, and cause entanglement due to their vertical stack design.
Innovation Solution
A container design featuring a horizontal alignment of eye shields on a holder with spaced elongate slots within an outer box, allowing for easy retrieval and reducing entanglement, with optional configurations to minimize depth and height for space efficiency.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Device complexity
If eye shields are stacked vertically in conventional dispensers, then the dispenser structure is simple, but the depth dimension becomes undesirable and loading becomes difficult
Solution Approach 1:
The patent transitions from vertical stacking to horizontal arrangement of eye shields on a rotating holder. This dimensional change allows the shields to be stored in a compact circular pattern rather than extending vertically, thereby reducing the depth dimension of the dispenser while maintaining storage capacity.
Solution Approach 2:
The dispenser is segmented into a holder component that can be rotated independently from the outer box. The holder is divided into multiple slots that can accommodate individual eye shields, allowing for easier loading and dispensing operations compared to a monolithic vertical stack structure.
2Device complexity
If eye shields are stacked vertically, then the dispenser structure is simple, but loading the shields becomes difficult
Solution Approach 1:
The holder is designed to rotate within the outer box, transforming the static vertical stack into a dynamic system. This rotation capability allows the holder to be tilted and positioned for easy loading of eye shields, and then rotated to a dispensing position, significantly improving ease of operation.
Solution Approach 2:
The holder can be pre-positioned and tilted to an accessible angle for loading eye shields before being rotated into the final dispensing position. This preliminary positioning action makes the loading process much easier compared to reaching into a fixed vertical stack.
3Device complexity
If eye shields are stacked vertically, then the dispenser structure is simple, but the shields become entangled
Solution Approach 1:
By arranging eye shields horizontally on a rotating holder rather than stacking them vertically, the patent eliminates the entanglement problem. Each shield rests in its own slot on the holder's upper surface, with arms positioned in elongate slots, preventing any contact that could cause entanglement.
Solution Approach 2:
The rotating holder acts as an intermediary between the outer box and the eye shields. It provides a stable platform with dedicated slots for each shield, isolating them from each other and preventing entanglement while still allowing easy dispensing through the front panel opening.
4Ease of operation
If horizontal alignment with holder is used, then ease of loading and dispensing is improved, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The rotating holder serves multiple functions: it stores multiple eye shields simultaneously, provides easy loading access through tilting, enables simple dispensing through rotation, and prevents entanglement through its slot design. This multi-functionality justifies the added complexity by consolidating multiple operations into a single component.
Data Source
AI summary
An eye shield dispenser having an outer box and a holder within the outer box for holding eye shields. The holder is configured to hold the eye shields horizontally along an upper surface of the holder and to position the eye shields proximate an opening in the outer box through which the eye shields may be retrieved.