Non-roll stick product containers with nested caps
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Solution Overview
Problem
Stick product containers face difficulties in cap removal and cap loss, leading to the container rolling away and the product inside drying out, rendering it useless.
Innovation Solution
The design incorporates a removable top cap with a thumb lever push ring to facilitate easy cap removal and prevent rolling, and a living hinge mechanism that allows the cap to be flipped back and inserted into a base plug hole, providing stability and preventing the container from rolling.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Device complexity
If a simple cap design is used, then the device complexity is reduced, but the cap is easily lost and the container rolls away
Solution Approach 1:
The cap is designed to nest within the container body when removed, with a recess in the container body that receives and retains the cap. This prevents the cap from being lost while maintaining a compact form factor and avoiding excessive complexity.
Solution Approach 2:
The container and cap are designed with asymmetric features including a non-circular cross-section and a protrusion-recess interface. This asymmetry prevents the container from rolling away and ensures the cap can only be removed in one orientation, improving reliability without adding complex mechanisms.
2Ease of operation
If the cap is made easy to remove, then the ease of operation is improved, but the cap is more likely to be lost or misplaced
Solution Approach 1:
The cap nests within a recess in the container body when removed, providing a designated storage location that prevents loss. The cap can be easily pulled off while the recess ensures it isn't misplaced, simultaneously improving ease of operation and reliability.
Solution Approach 2:
The recess in the container body acts as an intermediary structure that receives the cap during removal. This intermediary element facilitates easy cap removal while simultaneously ensuring the cap is retained and not lost.
3Ease of operation
If the container can be easily opened, then the ease of operation is improved, but the product dries out when left open
Solution Approach 1:
The cap nests within the container body when not in use, automatically closing the opening and preventing the product from drying out. This nested design maintains product freshness while allowing easy access when needed.
Solution Approach 2:
The container design provides self-service by automatically protecting the product when the cap is removed and placed in the recess. The structure itself ensures the product remains sealed and fresh without requiring user action to close it.
Data Source
AI summary
The present invention relates to three stick product containers. One has a removable top cap with a crown and a hollow base, such that the top cap can be removed and inserted into the hollow base. The top cap has associated with it a thumb lever push ring to prevent the stick from rolling when laid horizontal. The other container is more suitable, for example, for a lip balm that has a top cap with a living hinge that can be flipped all the way back, inserted into a plug insert hole in the base of the cap, and then the cap is used to support the container in an at rest position to prevent it from rolling.