Resilient Hinged Closure with Radial Tabs for Child Safety
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing container closures do not adequately prevent access by children while allowing easy opening and removal for adults, particularly on beverage cans with raised edges.
Innovation Solution
A child-safe closure system comprising a base and lid portion connected by a hinge, made of resilient materials, which can be pivoted and deformed to provide access and detach from the container, featuring unique operating tabs that allow counterintuitive motion for opening and sealing, and customizable with advertising indicia.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If a simple closure is used on a beverage can, then ease of operation is improved, but child safety is worsened
Solution Approach 1:
The closure is divided into a base portion and a lid portion that can be independently manipulated. The lid portion is hinged to the base portion, allowing it to be opened and closed independently while maintaining attachment to the container. This segmentation enables the lid to act as a barrier to children while still allowing adults to access the container by opening the lid.
Solution Approach 2:
The lid portion is made resilient and hinged, allowing it to dynamically change position between covering and uncovering the opening. The resilient material enables the lid to be deformed by children's attempts to open it, while the hinge mechanism allows adults to deliberately open it. This dynamic behavior provides different operational characteristics for different user groups.
2Object-affected harmful factors
If a secure closure is used to prevent child access, then child safety is improved, but ease of operation for adults is worsened
Solution Approach 1:
Different portions of the closure have different properties: the lid portion is resilient and hinged for safety, while the base portion has operating tabs with engagement portions that provide a mechanical advantage for easy opening by adults. The operating tabs are positioned and sized to be easily manipulated by adult fingers, providing localized ease of operation where needed.
Solution Approach 2:
The operating tabs are designed to be pulled outward (away from the container) to open the closure, which is counterintuitive to the typical inward-pushing motion. This inversion of the expected opening motion makes it difficult for children to open the closure with their limited strength, while adults can easily perform the unconventional pulling motion.
3Object-affected harmful factors
If the closure is made of resilient material for safety, then child safety is improved, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The resilient material, hinge mechanism, and lid portion are combined into a single integrated closure assembly that can be attached to the container as one unit. The base portion and lid portion are connected by the hinge, creating a unified structure that provides both safety functionality and structural simplicity. This merging reduces the number of separate components and assembly steps.
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 closure effectively prevents child access while allowing easy adult access and removal, ensuring safety and convenience through its innovative design and materials, and can be customized for promotional purposes.
Implementation Method 1
The base portion may be made of a resilient material, for instance, a resilient plastic that may deform slightly to allow the base portion to attach to a container, and to allow the base portion to releasably engage with the lid portion.
Implementation Method 2
The lid portion 44 may be connected to the base portion 42 with a hinge 46 and may be pivotable relative the base portion via the hinge between an open position
Data Source
AI summary
A closure for a container has a base and a lid. The base is attachable to the container. The lid is pivotally connected to the base and moveable between open and closed positions. The lid or the base has operating tabs on its periphery. Each operating tab has an actuation portion and an engagement portion. The engagement portion is moveable between engagement and disengagement positions. When the lid is in the closed positioned, the engagement portion engages the other of the lid and the base in the engagement position and disengages from the other of the lid and the base in the disengagement position. The actuation portion of the operating tab is resiliently deflectable radially outward relative to the one of the lid and the base to move the engagement portion to the disengagement position whereupon release of the actuation portion, the engagement portion returns to the engagement position.