Replacement Container Tabular Press Fulcrum Mechanism

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Solution Overview

Problem

The existing replacement type container design faces issues with the inner container being difficult to remove due to the engagement portion being lightly engaged with the outer container, leading to a high likelihood of the outer container dropping off during disengagement, and the press operation causing damage to the support mechanism.

Innovation Solution

The design incorporates a tabular press portion with fulcrums that allows the upper side to turn inward and the lower side to turn outward, featuring a latch projecting portion and engagement recessed portion for easy disengagement, along with an inclined face for upward movement and ribs to prevent excessive torsion, facilitating the removal of the inner container without dropping the outer container.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Ease of operation

If the engagement portion is lightly engaged with the engagement projecting portion to facilitate removal, then the inner container can be easily removed, but the outer container is likely to drop off during disengagement

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveease of removalVSAvoidstability during disengagement
Core Design Contradiction:
Ease of operationVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

The tabular press portion acts as an intermediary mechanism between the user's pressing action and the engagement portion. When pressed, it transmits force to disengage the engagement portion from the engagement projecting portion, enabling easy removal while the outer container remains stabilized during the process

Inventive Principle:
Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

2Ease of operation

If the press portion is pressed inward to release engagement, then the inner container can be removed, but the support mechanism may be damaged due to excessive torsion

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveease of disengagementVSAvoidsupport mechanism durability
Core Design Contradiction:
Ease of operationVSStrength

Solution Approach 1:

The tabular press portion is designed with dynamic movement characteristics - it can rotate about the support as a fulcrum when pressed. This controlled dynamic behavior allows the mechanism to adapt to pressing forces while the support structure remains protected from excessive torsional damage through its role as a rotation pivot point

Inventive Principle:
Principle #15Dynamics

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

This configuration simplifies the operation of pulling out the inner container while preventing the outer container from dropping and reduces the risk of damage to the support mechanism, ensuring a secure and efficient disengagement process.

Implementation Method 1

a tabular press portion extending in an up-and-down direction and projecting upward from an upper end of the cut-away portion is provided in the cut-away portion, with the tabular press portion having, as fulcrums, a support connected between an end face on both sides in a circumferential direction of the tabular press portion and an inner face on both sides in the circumferential direction of the cut-away portion, an upper side of the tabular press portion turns inward in the container radial direction due to a press on the upper side of the tabular press portion and additionally a lower side of the tabular press portion turns outward in the container radial direction

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectLever principle: Lever

Data Source

PatentEP3978390B1Replacement type container
Publication Date: 2023.11.08 YOSHINO KOGYOSHO CO LTD
  • EP3978390B1 patent drawingFigure 1
  • EP3978390B1 patent drawingFigure 2
  • EP3978390B1 patent drawingFigure 3(a)~3(c)

AI summary

Provided is a replacement type container that facilitates an operation of separating an inner container and prevents an outer container from dropping off at the time of latching release of an engagement portion. A replacement type container (1) includes an inner container (10) that houses a content, an outer container (30) that houses the inner container (10), and a cap (50) attached to the inner container (10). The outer container (30) has an outer circumferential portion (31) provided with a cut-away portion (33). A tabular press portion (35) extending in the up-and-down direction is provided in the cut-away portion (33). With the tabular press portion (35) having, as a fulcrum, a support connected to the cut-away portion (33), the upper side (35a) of the tabular press portion (35) is capable of turning inward in the radial direction and the lower side (35b) of the tabular press portion (35) is capable of turning outward in the radial direction. The lower side (35b) of the tabular press portion (35) has an inner face provided with a latch projecting portion (37). The inner container (10) has an outer circumferential portion (15) provided with an insertion recessed portion (19) enabling insertion of the upper side (35a) of the tabular press portion (35) and an engagement recessed portion (13) engageable with the latch projecting portion (37). Due to movement of the tabular press portion (35) into the insertion recessed portion (19), the engagement between the engagement recessed portion (13) and the latch projecting portion (37) is released.