Pivotable Adhesive Connection for Child-Resistant Release

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Solution Overview

Problem

Existing adhesive bonding systems, particularly those with manually releasable bonds, often require intuitive peeling methods that can be easily performed by children, leading to unintentional detachment, and lack flexibility in adjusting the force required for release.

Innovation Solution

A connection system with a pivotable adhesive element on a carrier, where the pivotable part has a higher concentration of adhesive elements and is designed to require a contrasting peeling action, such as pulling against the intuitive direction, to increase the force needed for detachment.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Ease of operation

If adhesive elements are arranged in a flat configuration with numerous adhesive components, then the adhesive bond is easy to handle and peel, but the force required to release the bond is too low and can be accidentally detached by children

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveease of handlingVSAvoidaccidental detachment
Core Design Contradiction:
Ease of operationVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

The adhesive element is divided into a connection area with adhesive elements and a pivotable part without adhesive elements at the free edge. This segmentation creates a mechanical lever system where the pivotable part acts as a lever arm, requiring significantly more force to peel the adhesive bond while maintaining ease of intentional release by the adult user.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

The invention introduces a spatial dimension by making the pivotable part extend beyond the plane of the connection area. This creates a three-dimensional lever arm structure that transforms a simple peeling motion into a mechanical lever action, increasing the force required for detachment while preserving intuitive handling.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #17Another dimension (Dimensionality change)

2Ease of operation

If adhesive elements are concentrated at the free end, then the bond can be easily released by peeling, but the peel resistance cannot be adjusted and safety is compromised

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveease of releaseVSAvoidadjustable peel resistance
Core Design Contradiction:
Ease of operationVSAdaptability or versatility

Solution Approach 1:

The connection area is designed with a specific concentration and distribution of adhesive elements, while the pivotable part has no adhesive elements at its free edge. This local differentiation creates a controlled mechanical advantage system where the adhesive bond strength can be adjusted by modifying the connection area parameters without affecting the lever arm geometry, enabling both safety and ease of release.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #3Local quality

3Reliability

If the adhesive bond requires high force for detachment, then safety is improved, but the bond becomes difficult to release even for adults

Engineering Contradiction:
ImprovesafetyVSAvoidease of release
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSEase of operation

Solution Approach 1:

The pivotable part is designed to rotate or pivot relative to the connection area during the peeling process. This dynamic movement transforms the peeling action into a lever mechanism, where the effective lever arm length changes during detachment, providing high initial resistance for safety while maintaining ease of completion for intentional release by adults.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #15Dynamics

Solution Approach 2:

Instead of concentrating adhesive elements at the free end for easy peeling, the invention inverts the configuration by placing adhesive elements only in the connection area and leaving the pivotable part's free edge adhesive-free. This inversion creates a mechanical lever system that requires high force initiation but completes easily, achieving both safety and ease of release.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #13The other way round (Inversion)

Data Source

PatentEP4699588A1Connection system and method for releasing an adhesive connection
Publication Date: 2026.02.25 GOTTLIEB BINDER
  • EP4699588A1 patent drawingFigure 1a~1b
  • EP4699588A1 patent drawingFigure 2a~2b
  • EP4699588A1 patent drawingFigure 3~5

AI summary

The invention relates to a connection system (10) with a first adhesive (12) comprising a plurality of adhesive elements (18, 29, 30, 34, 38, 42). The first adhesive (12) has a first free end (20) and a connection area (16), wherein the connection area (16) is arranged on or formed on a carrier element (14), preferably designed as a flexible band. A first pivotable part (24) of the first adhesive (12) is movable relative to the carrier element (14), in particular pivotable. The first pivotable part (24) has free edges (11, 13, 15). In a state in which the first pivotable part (24) is not pivoted relative to the attachment area (16), i.e., in which both lie in a common plane, the free edges (11, 13, 15) in this plane are not immediately surrounded by adhesive elements (18, 29, 30, 34, 38, 42) of the first adhesive (12).The first pivotable part (24) has, in particular, a larger number of adhesive elements (18, 29, 30, 34, 38, 42) than the connection area (16). The invention also relates to a method (100) for releasing such a connection system (10), wherein the connection system (10) has a second adhesive element (28).