Polyhedral Safe Container Sliding Closure Mechanism
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current medication containers with push and turn mechanisms pose difficulties for individuals with limited dexterity, such as the elderly, while also being challenging for children to open safely, highlighting the need for an improved child-resistant and user-friendly design.
Innovation Solution
A polyhedral container with a sliding closure mechanism and retaining means, featuring a cap with a polyhedral or truncated polyhedral form, allowing for easy one-handed operation and enhanced child resistance through auxiliary openings and depressible tabs that provide audible and visual indicators of closure.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If a push and turn mechanism is used for container closure, then child resistance is improved, but ease of operation for individuals with limited dexterity deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The closure mechanism is segmented into distinct functional components: a slider element that moves linearly to open/close the container, separate from the child-resistant locking mechanism. This segmentation allows the elderly to simply push the slider without needing to perform complex twisting motions, while the locking mechanism remains intact for child protection.
Solution Approach 2:
A cam mechanism acts as an intermediary between the simple linear slider motion and the child-resistant locking system. When the slider is pushed, the cam converts this linear motion into rotational motion that engages or disengages the locking mechanism, providing an easy interface for elderly users while maintaining child resistance.
2Ease of operation
If a sliding closure mechanism is used, then ease of operation is improved, but child resistance deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The patent merges the sliding closure mechanism with the child-resistant locking mechanism into a single integrated system. The slider not only opens the container but also, through the cam mechanism, controls the engagement of the child-resistant lock. This combination maintains child resistance while preserving the ease of linear pushing motion.
Solution Approach 2:
The friction characteristics and mechanical advantage of the locking mechanism are adjusted to require a specific force threshold that exceeds what a child can apply but is within the capability of an adult. The cam mechanism is designed to engage smoothly with moderate force while maintaining secure locking against lower forces.
3Productivity
If a polyhedral container shape is used, then stacking efficiency is improved, but manufacturing complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The polyhedral shape (preferably square or rectangular) serves multiple functions: it enables efficient stacking and storage by maximizing space utilization, provides stable placement on surfaces, and maintains compatibility with standard manufacturing processes for plastic injection molding. The geometry is simple enough for cost-effective production while delivering superior stacking characteristics compared to cylindrical containers.
Data Source
AI summary
Novel lockable safe containers for dispensing valuable, dangerous and potentially dangerous goods via a main opening that is easy for adults (including the elderly or frail) to open, but difficult for children to open, using a finger pressure on a sliding closure with a deflectable extension operable by finger pressure to enable. The novel safe containers have many additional advantages including human factors, ergonomics, manufacturing, supply chain and distribution, warehousing, retail, tamper resistance advantages, and labeling. The slidable closure exits the main opening zone via an auxiliary opening but wholly without exiting the container in normal usage.