Child-Resistant Medical Liquid Cap With Radially Offset Ratchet
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional medical liquid supply devices have a high number of parts, which can lead to complexity and increased risk of accidental opening by infants and children, and may result in sink marks on the contact ring during manufacturing due to the overlap of ratchet protrusions and sealing members.
Innovation Solution
A medical liquid supply device with a reduced number of parts, featuring a ratchet mechanism and a contact ring that prevents accidental opening by infants and children, where the contact ring is positioned radially distant from the interior-cap protrusion to avoid sink marks during molding, and the use of spring pieces and ribs for easy manufacturing and durable engagement.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If a seal disk is added to prevent leakage, then sealing performance is improved, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent combines the sealing function with the contact ring structure by integrating the sealing surface directly into the contact ring that engages with the container mouth. This eliminates the need for a separate seal disk while maintaining effective sealing, thus reducing the number of parts while preserving sealing performance.
2Reliability
If ratchet protrusions are positioned to engage with leaf spring members, then child-resistant mechanism is improved, but manufacturing precision deteriorates due to sink marks
Solution Approach 1:
The patent repositions the ratchet protrusions in the axial direction to overlap with the leaf spring members, moving them away from the radial position that would cause sink marks on the contact ring. This dimensional rearrangement allows both the child-resistant mechanism and sealing surface quality to be maintained simultaneously.
3Reliability
If multiple components are used for sealing, then sealing reliability is improved, but ease of manufacture deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The patent integrates the sealing function into the contact ring structure itself, eliminating the need for a separate seal disk. The contact ring's engagement surface with the container mouth provides the sealing action, reducing assembly steps and manufacturing complexity while maintaining sealing reliability.
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 device effectively prevents accidental opening by infants and children while reducing manufacturing complexity and minimizing the risk of sink marks, ensuring a secure and durable child-resistant mechanism with fewer parts.
Implementation Method 1
The leaf spring members elastically deform. When the outer cap member is rotated relative to the inner cap member in a tightening direction, a shape of each of the ratchet protrusions allows the ratchet protrusions to engage with the leaf spring members.
Implementation Method 2
an exterior-cap protrusion having a shape operable to be engaged with the interior-cap protrusion. One of the interior-cap protrusion and the exterior-cap protrusion urges the exterior-cap main body away from the interior-cap main body to disengage the ratchet mechanism
Data Source
AI summary
A medical liquid supply device that includes: a container including a containing portion with a mouth (16); an interior cap (30); and an exterior cap (60). The interior and exterior caps (30, 60) include a ratchet mechanism (50, 80). The interior cap (30) includes: an interior-cap main body (32) and an interior-cap protrusion (54). The interior-cap main body (32) includes a contact ring (44). The exterior cap (60) includes: an exterior-cap main body (62); and an exterior-cap protrusion (84) configured to be engaged with the interior-cap protrusion (54). The contact ring (44) is distant from the interior-cap protrusion (54) in the radial direction of the interior-cap main body (32).