Locking Lid Container With Linear Release Mechanism
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing container and lid locking mechanisms lack an efficient transition from locked to unlocked configurations, often requiring significant rotation and lacking a robust locking system that securely engages the lid relative to the container.
Innovation Solution
A locking lid and container system featuring radially outward threads, a locking mechanism that engages upwardly extending stops via biased engagement members, and a release mechanism allowing linear displacement to facilitate easy transition between locked and unlocked states, with the locking mechanism being operably coupled to a satellite ring and utilizing angled surfaces for secure engagement.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If a traditional locking mechanism is used where the locking mechanism is secured to the container and engages teeth on the lid, then the locking system provides secure engagement, but the transition from locked to unlocked configuration requires significant rotation effort and is not efficient
Solution Approach 1:
The patent inverts the traditional locking approach by securing the locking mechanism to the lid rather than the container. The locking mechanism includes engagement members that engage with stops on the container, allowing the lid to be easily removed by lifting it vertically without rotational effort. This inversion of the locking attachment point fundamentally changes the unlocking operation from rotation-intensive to lift-simple.
Solution Approach 2:
The locking mechanism employs resilient engagement members that can dynamically transition between engaged and disengaged states. The engagement members are biased by springs to engage with the stops, but can be easily displaced upward to disengage. This dynamic design allows for quick transition between locked and unlocked configurations without requiring significant force or time.
2Reliability
If the locking mechanism is secured to the container and engages teeth on the lid, then the locking system provides secure engagement, but the mechanism becomes more complex with multiple components
Solution Approach 1:
The locking mechanism is segmented into distinct functional components: engagement members on the lid, stops on the container, and resilient biasing elements. This segmentation allows each component to be optimized independently while maintaining overall simplicity. The engagement members are simple protrusions, the stops are fixed structures on the container, and the resilient elements provide automatic engagement without complex control systems.
Solution Approach 2:
The locking mechanism is self-actuating through resilient engagement members that automatically engage with the stops when the lid is placed on the container. The springs provide automatic biasing to ensure engagement without requiring external actuation or complex control mechanisms. The lid's weight and positioning automatically trigger the locking action, eliminating the need for additional actuators or control systems.
3Strength
If engagement members are biased into locking configuration downwardly, then the locking system provides secure engagement with stops, but the structure requires additional biasing components
Solution Approach 1:
The resilient engagement members function as spring-based counterweight elements that provide continuous downward biasing force to maintain engagement with the stops. The spring force acts as a counterbalancing mechanism that ensures the engagement members remain pressed against the stops, providing secure locking without requiring additional weights or complex positioning mechanisms.
Solution Approach 2:
The resilient engagement members provide beforehand cushioning by being pre-biased into a position that ensures smooth engagement with the stops. The spring elements absorb shocks and variations in positioning, ensuring reliable engagement even with minor manufacturing tolerances or positioning variations, without requiring additional adjustment mechanisms.
Data Source
AI summary
An open ended container with locking lid can provide a number of features. The lid and the container have cooperating threads. The lid has also has a locking mechanism connected to the lid, such as from a downwardly extending wall. The container has a stop, in some embodiments accessible from above, such as with downwardly and possibly linearly biased engagement members of the locking mechanism. In fact, some embodiments have a stop as a portion of satellite ring.