Eyewear Dispensing Assembly for One-by-One Access

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Solution Overview

Problem

Existing dispensing assemblies for single-use disposable eyewear in healthcare settings are inefficient, time-consuming, and prone to tangling, especially in fast-paced environments, leading to increased waste and assembly requirements.

Innovation Solution

A dispensing assembly with a dispenser having a dispensing opening, a shelf, and an insert that maintains a stack of articles in a predetermined arrangement, featuring a retaining flap and a ramp to facilitate one-by-one dispensing, preventing tangling and waste.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Quantity of substance

If eyewear is shipped in bulk in a container or box, then storage capacity is improved, but dispensing efficiency deteriorates

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvestorage capacityVSAvoiddispensing efficiency
Core Design Contradiction:
Quantity of substanceVSProductivity

Solution Approach 1:

The bulk container is segmented into multiple compartments or slots that individually hold each eyewear item or small groups of items. This segmentation allows healthcare workers to access individual items without opening the entire container, maintaining bulk storage while enabling efficient individual dispensing.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

Eyewear items are pre-arranged in an accessible configuration within the container before use. The items are positioned in a manner that facilitates easy retrieval, with the most frequently accessed items placed in optimal positions, eliminating the need for searching or reorganization during dispensing.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #10Preliminary action

2Ease of operation

If eyewear is removed from bulk packaging, then individual access is improved, but time consumption increases

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveindividual accessVSAvoidtime consumption
Core Design Contradiction:
Ease of operationVSLoss of time

Solution Approach 1:

The container incorporates dynamic elements such as spring-loaded ejection mechanisms, gravity-fed ramps, or rotating trays that automatically present the next eyewear item for retrieval. This dynamic design reduces the manual effort and time required to access individual items compared to static bulk packaging.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #15Dynamics

Solution Approach 2:

The container is designed to automatically present and dispense eyewear items without requiring manual handling or assembly by the healthcare worker. Features such as self-ejecting slots, gravity-assisted retrieval, or magnetic holding mechanisms enable the system to serve itself, minimizing user intervention and time consumption.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #25Self-service

3Device complexity

If eyewear is handled in loose bulk polybag, then packaging simplicity is improved, but tangling and waste increase

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvepackaging simplicityVSAvoidwaste
Core Design Contradiction:
Device complexityVSLoss of substance

Solution Approach 1:

Multiple eyewear items are nested within individual protective sleeves or compartments that are themselves nested within the bulk container. This nested structure prevents tangling while maintaining packaging compactness, and allows individual items to be removed without disturbing others, reducing waste from damaged or contaminated items.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #7Nested doll (Nesting)

Solution Approach 2:

Each eyewear item is encased in a flexible protective shell or thin film sleeve that prevents tangling and contamination. These flexible wrappers maintain the compact bulk packaging form factor while providing individual protection, eliminating the need for rigid packaging that would increase complexity and waste.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #30Flexible shells and thin films

Data Source

PatentUS12466608B2Eyewear dispensing assembly
Publication Date: 2025.11.11 O&M HALYARD INC
  • US12466608B2 patent drawing
  • US12466608B2 patent drawing
  • US12466608B2 patent drawing

AI summary

A dispensing assembly includes a dispenser having a front panel, a rear panel, a top panel, a bottom panel, a first side panel, and a second side panel that define an internal chamber configured to receive a plurality of articles. The dispenser includes a dispensing opening. At least a portion of the dispensing opening is formed in the front panel, and may extend a width of the panel, e.g., from the first side panel to the second side panel. The dispensing assembly further includes a shelf contained within the internal chamber and configured to facilitate the removal of an individual article from within the internal chamber in an efficient manner. The dispensing assembly further includes an insert configured to maintain the stack of articles in a predetermined arrangement within the internal chamber. The insert comprises at least one retaining flap configured to be coupled with the top panel of the dispenser.