Nested Container Assembly with Interlocking Threads
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing container assemblies fail to effectively keep different liquids separated during transportation and use, as they either allow mixing or require complex mechanisms for separation.
Innovation Solution
A container assembly comprising an outer and inner bottle with interlocking threads and gripping features, allowing secure assembly and disassembly to prevent mixing, where the inner bottle is threaded into the outer bottle with varying thread gaps for snug fit and locking, ensuring physical isolation of contents.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If containers are combined into a single unit for convenient transportation, then transportation convenience is improved, but the risk of accidental mixing increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies nesting by placing one container inside another container to form a combined unit. The inner container is inserted into the outer container, with the inner container's opening facing the outer container's bottom. This nested structure achieves compact transportation while maintaining physical separation of contents through distinct sealing mechanisms at each container opening.
2Stability of the object's composition
If containers are securely locked together for stable assembly, then assembly stability is improved, but disassembly difficulty increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies dynamics through a movable sealing member that can transition between locked and unlocked positions. The sealing member is biased by a spring to engage with a locking protrusion on the cap, providing stable assembly. When sufficient force is applied to the cap, the sealing member overcomes the spring force and disengages from the locking protrusion, enabling easy disassembly. This dynamic mechanism resolves the contradiction between stable assembly and easy disassembly.
3Reliability
If thread gaps are reduced for snug fit, then connection reliability is improved, but manufacturing precision requirements increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies local quality by providing different gap characteristics at different locations of the threaded connection. The threads are designed with varying gap sizes along their length, allowing regions with tighter tolerances where reliability is critical and regions with larger gaps that are easier to manufacture. This localized variation in gap quality achieves reliable connection without requiring uniform high precision throughout the entire threaded interface.
Data Source
AI summary
A container assembly consisting of an outer container and an inner container is provided. The outer container has a recess that conforms in its shape to the shape of the inner container, whereby a cavity is formed in the outer container between the outer walls of the outer container and the walls of the recesses. When the containers are filled with flowable materials and are assembled, both flowable materials are isolated from each other and are not miscible. The containers have engageable threads on the mating surfaces so that the inner container can be inserted into the outer container by twisting. The unique feature of the assembly is a provision of one, two, or three locking means for securing the containers in the assembled state.