Child-Resistant Closure Radial Latch Mechanism
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Existing child-resistant closures often require users to directly engage ledges or tabs, which can be uncomfortable and may lead to accidental opening due to abrupt surface changes, and they lack effective internal reinforcement to prevent distortion during operation.
Innovation Solution
A child-resistant closure design featuring a lid and base with a hinge, a latch arm with oppositely extending tabs, and a recess with laterally spaced ledges for locking, where the latch arm is manually engageable radially to release the tabs without direct contact with the ledges, and internal reinforcing ribs to prevent distortion, ensuring a smooth surface contour and protection from container shoulders.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If users directly engage ledges or tabs to operate the closure, then the closure can be opened, but it causes discomfort and may lead to accidental opening due to abrupt surface changes
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces an intermediary mechanism between the user's finger and the ledges/tabs. Specifically, a cam surface is provided that converts the user's radial inward force on the latch arm into rotational motion, which then actuates the tabs to disengage from the ledges. This intermediary cam mechanism prevents direct contact between the user's finger and the sharp ledges, eliminating discomfort and reducing the risk of accidental opening.
2Ease of operation
If the latch arm is made flexible to allow radial inward movement, then the closure can be opened, but the lid may become distorted during operation
Solution Approach 1:
The patent segments the latch arm structure into distinct functional zones: a flexible portion that allows radial inward movement for actuation, and a rigid portion that maintains structural integrity. The flexible portion is specifically designed to bend during operation, while the rigid portion remains stable and does not distort the lid. This segmentation enables the latch arm to be both flexible enough for operation and strong enough to prevent distortion.
3Ease of manufacture
If the latch arm structure is simplified for easy manufacturing, then production cost decreases, but the closure may lack sufficient reinforcement to prevent distortion
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies local quality by providing reinforcing ribs only in specific locations where structural support is needed, rather than uniformly throughout the entire lid structure. The reinforcing ribs are strategically positioned to prevent distortion at critical points during latch arm actuation, while the rest of the structure remains simple and easy to manufacture. This localized reinforcement maintains strength where needed without complicating the overall manufacturing process.
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 provides a comfortable and secure child-resistant closure that prevents accidental opening by allowing radial inward movement of the latch arm without direct contact with the ledges, maintaining the closure's structural integrity and smooth surface interaction.
Implementation Method 1
One of the base and the lid has a latch arm resiliently extending from its periphery opposite the hinge. The latch arm has a pair of oppositely extending tabs adjacent to a free end of the latch arm... The latch arm is directly manually engageable by a user from a radial direction external to the closure to pivot the latch arm radially inwardly within the passage
Implementation Method 2
The lid is coupled by a hinge to the base to be pivotable between a closed position and an open position
Data Source
Figure 1~4
Figure 5
Figure 6~9
AI summary
A child-resistant closure includes a base (32) and a lid (34) is molded integrally with the base. The lid is coupled by a hinge (36) to the base to be pivotable between a closed position and an open position. One of the base and the lid has a latch arm (36) resiliently extending from a periphery opposite the hinge. The latch arm has a pair of oppositely extending tabs (58) adjacent to a free end of the latch arm. The other of the base and the lid has an external recess (46) for receiving the latch arm and a pair of laterally spaced ledges (48) in the recess for engagement by the tabs to lock the lid in the closed position. The latch arm in the recess is directly manually engageable by a user from a radial direction external to the closure to pivot the latch arm radially inwardly within the passage and release the tabs from the ledges so that the lid can be pivoted toward the open position. The tabs on the latch arm and the ledges in the recess are recessed radially inwardly from the outer surface of the latch arm in the closed position of the lid with the tabs engaged beneath the ledges. In this way, the latch arm can be pushed radially inwardly to release the lid without the user's fingers touching the ledges in the recess.