Rotating Actuation Shroud for Handheld Dispensing
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing hand-held dispensing systems are not universally easy to operate, particularly for elderly people, parents with children, and individuals with disabilities, due to their bulky design and requirement for significant force application, and they often have unappealing aesthetics that lead to storage rather than visibility.
Innovation Solution
A dispensing system with a shroud that includes a gripping portion and an actuation member that rotates about a rotation point, allowing for a larger surface area to be gripped and actuated, reducing the force required for operation and enhancing aesthetics by altering the visible ratio of the cap to the container.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If a traditional button or trigger mechanism is used, then the dispensing mechanism can be actuated, but significant force is required and it is difficult to operate for elderly people and those with disabilities
Solution Approach 1:
The patent employs a hinged actuation member that pivots about a hinge axis, transforming the actuation motion from a direct linear push to a rotational pivot motion. This dynamic mechanism allows users to apply force more efficiently through leverage, reducing the total force required while maintaining reliable actuation of the valve stem.
Solution Approach 2:
The actuation member extends from the cap in a direction transverse to the longitudinal axis of the container, creating a new spatial dimension for user interaction. This transverse extension provides a larger surface area for finger contact and enables a pivoting motion that leverages rotational mechanics to reduce the force needed compared to direct linear actuation.
2Ease of manufacture
If an elongate cylindrical container with uniform diameter is used, then the container is easy to manufacture, but it is bulky and unwieldy for users to hold and operate
Solution Approach 1:
The shroud is designed with a non-uniform diameter that varies along its length, featuring a reduced diameter portion that tapers toward the bottom edge. This local variation in geometry creates an ergonomic profile that fits comfortably in the user's hand, improving grasping and manipulating ease while maintaining manufacturing feasibility through extrusion or molding processes.
3Shape
If a typical 30/70 ratio between cap and container visibility is used, then the design is conventional, but it has unappealing aesthetics that cause the system to be stored out of view
Solution Approach 1:
The shroud is designed to extend farther down the container than traditional caps, inverting the conventional visual hierarchy. Instead of the cap dominating the visual field (30/70 ratio), the shroud becomes the prominent visible element, creating an inverted proportion that users find more aesthetically pleasing and are more likely to display prominently.
Data Source
AI summary
A dispensing system has a central longitudinal axis and includes a shroud adapted to receive a container. The shroud includes a gripping portion adapted to be gripped by a hand of a user. The dispensing system also includes an actuation member adapted to rotate about a rotation point on a rotation axis toward an interior of the shroud in response to a force applied to the actuation member by the user. The actuation member is configured such that a rotation distance is at least about 6 centimeters. The rotation distance is measured in a direction parallel to the central longitudinal axis between a location where the user can apply the force to the actuation member and the rotation point of the actuation member.