Movable Cover Tray for Medical Glove Dispensing

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Solution Overview

Problem

Medical gloves are prone to contamination and wastage due to exposure through small dispensing openings, leading to unnecessary disposal and increased costs for medical facilities.

Innovation Solution

A container with a movable cover or tray that extends from the front side to protect gloves from dust and contaminants, catching any accidentally dropped gloves and preventing them from falling on non-sterile surfaces.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Ease of operation

If medical gloves are stored in boxes with small dispensing openings, then gloves can be manually pulled out for use, but the gloves are constantly exposed to contaminants through the openings and become contaminated

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvemanual dispensing of glovesVSAvoidcontamination from dust and biological contaminants

Core Design Contradiction:

Ease of operationVSObject-affected harmful factors

Solution Approach 1:

A movable cover is introduced as an intermediary element between the gloves and the external environment. The cover can be moved to cover or uncover the dispensing opening, acting as a mediator that allows controlled access while protecting the gloves from contaminants when not in use.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

2Quantity of substance

If medical gloves are packed tightly in boxes, then space is efficiently utilized, but multiple gloves are accidentally pulled out together and may fall on non-sterile surfaces

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvestorage density of glovesVSAvoidcontamination from falling on non-sterile surfaces

Core Design Contradiction:

Quantity of substanceVSObject-affected harmful factors

Solution Approach 1:

A tray is provided as a protective surface positioned at the dispensing opening. This tray acts as a cushioning surface that catches gloves before they can fall to the floor, preventing contamination. The tray is integrated into the container structure to support gloves during the dispensing process.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #11Beforehand cushioning (Prior cushioning)

3Reliability

If a container is designed to protect gloves from contamination, then glove wastage is reduced, but the container structure becomes more complex

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveprotection from contaminationVSAvoidcontainer structure with movable cover and tray

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The movable cover serves multiple functions: it protects gloves from contaminants when closed, and can be moved to allow dispensing when opened. The tray simultaneously serves as a protective surface for catching falling gloves and as part of the dispensing mechanism. This multi-functionality reduces the need for additional separate components.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #6Universality (Multi-functionality)

Solution Approach 2:

The cover is designed to be movable rather than fixed, allowing it to transition between covering and uncovered positions. This dynamic element enables the container to adapt between protection mode and dispensing mode, providing contamination protection while maintaining ease of operation.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #15Dynamics

Data Source

PatentUS11723741B1Container for holding and dispensing medical gloves or other consumables

Publication Date: 2023.08.15 BENEDICT MARK

AI summary

A container is provided for receipt of boxes of medical gloves or other consumables. The container includes a box holder having a dispensing opening in a front panel of the box holder and a movable cover or tray which can be moved from a first or undeployed condition to a second or deployed condition in which the movable cover or tray extends outwardly from a front panel of the box holder and can catch any medical gloves fallen from the boxes before they land on the ground and are contaminated. The movable panel may be pivotally mounted to and/or extendable from the box holder. When pivotally mounted to the box holder, the movable panel covers the dispending opening in the front panel and protects the medical gloves from dust and other contaminants when the movable panel is in the first or undeployed condition.