Pour Spout Lid with Rotation Locking Mechanism
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional pour spout members are troublesome to open, pose sanitation risks, are not craft-friendly, and can unintentionally open during transit due to complex constructions and exposed designs.
Innovation Solution
A pour spout member with a base heat-sealed to a packaging bag, featuring a tubular neck with a sealing member and a lid member having expandable segments connected to the sealing member, equipped with a rotation locking mechanism that temporarily restricts the lid member, allowing secure locking and easy release without direct hand contact.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If the pour spout uses a conventional design with an inner stopple requiring hand contact to pull out, then the opening mechanism is simple, but it poses sanitation risks and is troublesome to operate
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces an intermediary mechanism (the expandable lid segments with rotation locking mechanism) that mediates between the user and the inner stopple. The user operates the lid segments externally, which then internally manipulate the sealing protrusion, eliminating direct hand contact with the stopple while maintaining operational control.
Solution Approach 2:
The lid member is segmented into multiple expandable lid segments that can independently move. This segmentation allows the lid to expand and contract, enabling the rotation locking mechanism to engage and disengage the sealing protrusion without requiring direct manual manipulation of the stopple itself.
2Ease of operation
If the pour spout uses a protrusion that can be twisted off, then opening is easy, but it may be unintentionally twisted off during transit
Solution Approach 1:
The lid segments are designed to be dynamically expandable and collapsible. In collapsed state, the rotation locking mechanism securely engages the sealing protrusion. In expanded state, the locking mechanism releases, allowing intentional opening. This dynamic state change provides both security during transit and ease of opening when needed.
Solution Approach 2:
The rotation locking mechanism is pre-configured to automatically engage with the sealing protrusion when the lid segments are in collapsed state. This preliminary locking action occurs before transit or storage, preventing unintentional opening without requiring additional user intervention.
3Object-affected harmful factors
If the pour spout uses a protective cap and closing member mechanism, then the spout is protected, but the construction becomes complicated and troublesome
Solution Approach 1:
The patent merges the protective cap function with the lid segments themselves. The lid segments, when collapsed, form a protective cover over the spout opening. This eliminates the need for a separate protective cap while maintaining protection functionality, thereby reducing overall construction complexity.
Solution Approach 2:
The lid segments serve multiple functions: they protect the spout opening when collapsed, lock the sealing protrusion in place, and enable intentional opening when expanded. This multi-functionality eliminates the need for separate components, simplifying the overall construction while maintaining all necessary functions.
4Ease of operation
If the pour spout uses an exposed design, then access is easy, but it may be unintentionally opened
Solution Approach 1:
The lid segments provide a dynamic covering that is exposed and accessible when collapsed but provides protection and prevention of unintentional opening. The rotation locking mechanism ensures that even though the spout is accessible, unintentional opening is prevented through the locking engagement with the sealing protrusion.
Data Source
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AI summary
[Problems to be solved]: In the case of the pour spout member of prior art in which an inner stopple provided within the tubular neck must be by a handgrip attached to the inner stopple must be pulled out to open the pour spout. With such arrangement, there is a problem that not only operation of opening the pour spout is troublesome but it is sanitarily apprehended that the user's hand might come in contact with the pour spout. In the case of the pour spout member of prior art in which the sealing is broken by rotating the cap, there is anxiety that the cap might be unintentionally rotated, for example, in the course of transit. In the case of the pour spout member of prior art in which a the tip opening of the pour spout is formed with the protrusion adapted to be twisted off, the protrusion is covered with a square U-shaped guard member and distal ends of the guard member are connected to a base of the pour spout member in a breakable manner to prevent the protrusion from unintentionally twisted off, it is apprehended that the pour spout might be exposed and its construction might be unacceptably complicated and correspondingly troublesome for working. [Measure to solve these problems]: The problems set forth above are solved, according to the present invention, by an improvement in the pour spout member comprising a base 1 adapted to be attached to a packaging bag, a tubular neck having a tip opening 2 sealed by a sealing member 3 and a lid member 20 having an upper end connected to the sealing member 3 and covering an outer periphery of the tubular neck 4, characterized in that the lid member 20 includes expandable lid segments 6 having upper ends connected to a portion integral with the sealing member 3 and, between the expandable lid segments 6 in collapsed state and a portion integral with the tubular neck 4, there is provided a rotation locking mechanism 30 adapted for temporary restriction of the lid member 20.