Sliding Dispenser with Depressible Detents for Child-Resistant Access
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing containers for dispensing solid products, particularly pharmaceuticals and consumables, lack effective child-resistant mechanisms that are both secure and easy to manufacture, often allowing immediate access to the entire contents if opened by children and lacking secondary prevention methods for adult misuse.
Innovation Solution
A container design featuring a sliding inner tray with depressible detents that interlock with the outer shell, providing a child-resistant locking mechanism that requires specific manipulations to access the contents, combining ease of use with enhanced security features like a retainer plate and flexible flap for product dispensing.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If a traditional cap with downward pressure and twisting mechanism is used for child resistance, then child access is prevented, but the entire contents become immediately accessible if opened and there is no secondary prevention mechanism
Solution Approach 1:
The container is divided into an outer shell and an inner tray that can slide independently. The inner tray holds the contents and can be selectively extended to reveal compartments, providing staged access rather than immediate exposure of all contents. This segmentation allows the container to maintain child resistance while enabling controlled dispensing when properly opened.
Solution Approach 2:
The inner tray is pre-configured with detents that must be depressed in a specific sequence to extend the tray. This preliminary action requirement ensures that even if a child opens the outer shell, they cannot access the contents without first performing the complex manipulation of depressing multiple detents, providing secondary prevention.
2Reliability
If a locking mechanism is added to enhance child resistance, then security is improved, but manufacturing complexity and cost increase
Solution Approach 1:
The detents are designed to be integrally formed with the inner tray during the molding process, eliminating the need for separate locking components. The detents utilize the tray's own structural material and geometry to provide the locking function, thereby enhancing child resistance without adding manufacturing steps or additional parts.
Solution Approach 2:
The detents are positioned and dimensioned to require specific force and sequence of manipulation to depress. By optimizing the detent geometry, material properties, and positioning parameters, the container achieves high child resistance through the sliding mechanism itself rather than through complex additional locking structures.
3Reliability
If a sliding inner tray with detents is used, then child resistance and controlled access are improved, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The locking, dispensing, and containment functions are merged into a single sliding tray mechanism. The detents simultaneously provide the locking action to prevent unauthorized access and the controlled release mechanism for legitimate use. The tray itself serves as both the containment structure and the dispensing interface, eliminating the need for separate mechanisms.
Solution Approach 2:
The inner tray serves multiple functions: it contains the contents, provides the child-resistant locking mechanism through its detents, enables controlled dispensing through selective extension, and presents the product compartments to the user. This multi-functionality reduces the overall device complexity compared to having separate mechanisms for each function.
Data Source
AI summary
A dispensing container is provided, the container including an outer shell comprising a top, a bottom, sidewalls extending between the top and bottom, and two ends, at least one end being open; an inner tray, slidably received within the outer shell, comprising at least one storage compartment adapted for storage of a plurality of units of a product to be dispensed, and comprising at least one depressible detent, the detent comprising a raised surface that abuts the outer shell; wherein, in a closed configuration, the detent holds the inner tray within the outer shell, and wherein the at least one detent may be depressed by pressure to allow the inner tray to slide relative to the outer shell.