Retaining Clip with Tensioned Socket for Safe Hot Container Handling
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Canned food heated over a cooker becomes too hot to handle safely, as existing solutions do not provide a stable and secure way to lift or tilt the container without risking spills or drops.
Innovation Solution
A retaining clip system with a socket that adapts to the container, featuring a handle with legs that can be squeezed to tension the socket, providing a stable connection for lifting and tilting, and a design that allows for easy engagement and disengagement, using metal or temperature-resistant materials for heat resistance.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If a simple handle is attached to the container, then ease of operation is improved, but reliability of the connection is insufficient to safely handle hot containers
Solution Approach 1:
The retaining clip is divided into functional segments: a socket portion that engages with the container, a handle portion with upper and lower legs for gripping, and connection portions that link these elements. This segmentation allows each part to perform its specific function optimally while working together as a unified system.
Solution Approach 2:
The retaining clip utilizes elastic deformation dynamics where the socket portion can be compressed between the upper and lower legs of the handle. When force is applied to the handle, the socket dynamically adjusts its grip on the container, tightening the connection to securely hold hot containers during lifting and tilting operations.
2Ease of operation
If the socket is designed to fit the container, then ease of operation is improved, but the connection becomes unstable and cannot support lifting forces
Solution Approach 1:
The socket portion is pre-configured with a geometry that conforms to typical container shapes, allowing for easy preliminary engagement. The connection portions are designed to transition from a loose engagement state to a tightly secured state when the handle is gripped, applying compressive force to the socket to strengthen the connection.
Solution Approach 2:
The retaining clip changes its mechanical parameters from a relaxed state with loose socket engagement to a compressed state with tight engagement. When force is applied to the handle, the distance between the upper and lower legs decreases, compressing the socket and increasing the contact force between the socket and container, thereby transforming the connection from unstable to strong.
3Reliability
If the retaining clip uses multiple parts, then ease of manufacture is reduced, but reliability of connection is improved
Solution Approach 1:
The retaining clip merges the socket portion, handle portion, and connection portions into a single integrated component. This unified design maintains the functional advantages of having separate elements while simplifying manufacturing through one-piece construction, eliminating the need for assembly of multiple parts.
Solution Approach 2:
The single-piece retaining clip design serves multiple functions simultaneously: the socket engages with the container, the connection portions transmit and amplify applied force, and the handle provides a gripping surface. This multi-functionality in a single component achieves reliable connection without the manufacturing complexity of assembling multiple specialized parts.
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
Enables safe handling and tilting of hot containers by creating a stable, self-sustaining connection that reduces the risk of spills and drops, allowing for secure lifting and pouring without manual force, and is reusable and cost-effective due to its one-piece design.
Implementation Method 1
The socket can be tensioned by squeezing the legs of the handle section together
Data Source
Figure 1~3
Figure 2
AI summary
A retaining clip for a container (15), in particular for handling canned goods that can be heated directly over a cooker, comprising a holder (19, 20) that can be clamped via a handle section (16), an upper area of the holder (20) being attached to an upper end of the Container (15) and a lower area of the socket (19) is adapted to a bottom of the container (15), wherein the handle section (16) has an upper leg (18) and a lower leg (17), the upper leg ( 18) is connected to the upper area of the socket (20) via an upper connecting section (22) and the lower leg (17) is connected to the lower area of the socket (19) via a lower connecting section (21).