Pot Lid Latching Mechanism for Compact Sealing
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional cosmetic and pharmaceutical product pots face challenges with dimensional constraints due to threaded necks, difficulty in determining proper lid tightening, and inefficient sealing, leading to air leakage and product deterioration, while existing solutions require significant space and are not suitable for daily use or larger diameters.
Innovation Solution
A pot design featuring a base with a notch and a lid with a latching plate, a cover, and a radial, eccentric double-acting slider, allowing for easy opening and closing with reduced torque and improved sealing, using a latching element with a claw that moves between engaged and disengaged positions, and a locking strip for secure closure.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If a threaded neck is used for closing the lid, then the lid can be securely closed, but the neck height and lid thickness increase due to dimensional constraints
Solution Approach 1:
The patent removes the threaded connection from the neck and relocates the closing function to a separate latching mechanism. The latching element with爪 (claw) engages with a notch on the neck flange, extracting the sealing function from the threaded neck structure and allowing a shorter neck design while maintaining reliable closure.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent introduces a latching element as an intermediary component between the lid and base. This latching element with爪 engages the notch on the neck flange, providing a mediating mechanism that achieves secure closing without requiring a tall threaded neck, thus resolving the contradiction between sealing reliability and neck height.
2Reliability
If excessive tightening is applied to close the lid, then the seal is compressed, but the seal is crushed and air can enter the pot
Solution Approach 1:
The patent incorporates a feedback mechanism through the latching element's engagement with the notch. As the lid is closed, the latching element automatically engages the notch at the appropriate position, providing tactile and visual feedback to the user that closing is complete. This prevents excessive tightening that would crush the seal, while still achieving adequate compression for sealing.
Solution Approach 2:
The latching mechanism is designed to self-regulate the closing force. The geometric relationship between the latching element's爪 and the notch on the neck flange automatically limits the compression applied to the seal, eliminating the need for user judgment about proper tightening force and preventing seal damage from excessive force.
3Ease of operation
If insufficient tightening is applied to close the lid, then the seal does not seal properly, but air can enter and product can deteriorate
Solution Approach 1:
The latching mechanism provides clear feedback when properly engaged. The爪 of the latching element must fully engage the notch on the neck flange, creating a distinct tactile sensation and visual indication that proper closing has been achieved. This feedback ensures users can easily determine when adequate sealing force has been applied without excessive effort.
4Reliability
If a spring device is used to ensure sealed closing, then spillage is avoided, but the device requires significant height and space
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts the spring mechanism from the closing system and replaces it with a direct mechanical latching approach. The latching element with爪 engages the notch on the neck flange through direct geometric constraint rather than spring force, eliminating the need for significant vertical space while achieving reliable sealed closing.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent replaces the spring-based mechanical system with a geometry-based latching mechanism. Instead of using elastic deformation and spring force to achieve sealing, the design uses the interlocking geometry of the latching element's爪 and the notch on the neck flange, substituting a compact mechanical constraint system for a space-consuming spring system.
5Reliability
If a stop is added to limit angular stroke of the lid, then screwing beyond the stop is prevented and sealing is compensated, but the device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent merges the stop function into the existing latching mechanism. The爪 of the latching element and the notch on the neck flange serve dual purposes: they provide the primary latching function for secure closing and simultaneously act as a stop to prevent over-tightening. This integration eliminates the need for a separate stop component, reducing device complexity while maintaining sealing compensation.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
The design enables reliable sealing with reduced torque and friction, allowing users to easily open and close the pot like a conventionally screwed lid, while maintaining a compact form suitable for daily use and larger diameters.
Implementation Method 1
a radial, eccentric double-acting slider and a guide stud configured to slide with respect to the slider between a first position and a second position, the latching element adopting the first position when the guide stud is in the first position with respect to the slider and the latching element adopting the second position when the guide stud is in the second position with respect to the slider
Data Source
AI summary
A pot including a base and a lid, configured to adopt a closed position and an open position, that includes at least one locking strip positioned between a cover and a latching plate of the lid and fixed with respect to the cover, configured to adopt a locked position in which it presses against a rear wall of a latching element, thus holding a claw in a notch in a neck of the base, when the lid is in the closed position, and to adopt an unlocked position, in which the at least one locking strip is moved angularly with respect to its locked position and distant from the rear wall of the at least one latching element, when the lid is in the open position.