Multi-Pill Cutter With Synchronous Wheel Drive
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional pill cutters can only cut one pill at a time, making it inefficient for cutting multiple pills, and struggle with cutting pills of different shapes and sizes due to their design.
Innovation Solution
A pill cutter with a base, two movable holders, a driving assembly with synchronous wheels, and a tiltably mounted lid with a blade, allowing multiple pills to be clamped and cut simultaneously, even those of varying shapes and sizes, using a cushion pad for stability and soft portions for secure clamping.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Productivity
If a conventional pill cutter with a single recess and blade is used, then the structure is simple, but only one pill can be cut at a time, resulting in low productivity
Solution Approach 1:
The base is divided into multiple recesses (first recess and second recess) that can accommodate multiple pills simultaneously. The blade is correspondingly segmented into multiple cutting edges, allowing simultaneous cutting of multiple pills in one operation, thereby increasing productivity without requiring multiple separate devices
Solution Approach 2:
Multiple pill-cutting functions are merged into a single integrated device. The base with multiple recesses and the blade with multiple cutting edges work together as a unified system, allowing simultaneous cutting of multiple pills while maintaining structural coherence and avoiding the need for multiple separate cutters
2Productivity
If a tapered recess is used to fix various pills, then pills can be stably fixed, but the device can only cut one pill at a time
Solution Approach 1:
The base contains multiple independent recesses (first recess and second recess), each capable of accommodating a pill. This segmentation allows multiple pills of different sizes to be fixed simultaneously in separate compartments, enabling batch cutting while maintaining individual stability for each pill
Solution Approach 2:
The multiple recesses are designed with universal adaptability to accommodate different pill sizes and shapes. Each recess can independently hold various types of pills, making the device versatile for cutting multiple different pills simultaneously without requiring size-specific adjustments
3Object-affected harmful factors
If a knife is used to cut round pills, then cutting can be performed, but the patient cannot hold the pill stably and might be injured
Solution Approach 1:
The holders act as an intermediary between the user and the pills. Instead of the user directly holding and cutting pills with a knife, the holders securely clamp the pills in place, eliminating the need for manual pill handling and thereby removing the injury risk while maintaining ease of operation
Data Source
AI summary
A pill cutter is provided and has a base, two holders, a driving assembly, and a lid. The two holders are movably mounted on the base and configured to clamp one or multiple pills at the same time. The driving assembly is connected to the two holders and is capable of driving the two holders to move. The driving assembly comprises two wheels and the two wheels are connected to the two holders. The lid is tiltably mounted on the base, and a blade is mounted on the lid and configured to split the pill(s) at the same time. When the two wheels are rotated, the two holders are capable of moving toward each other or away from each other. With the holders driven by the wheels, multiple pills can be clamped by the holders and cut at once, which saves a lot of time.