Sliding Hinged Blade Dispenser to Prevent Accidental Opening

Resolve Bottlenecks,
Find Innovative Solutions
Generate Solutions

Solution Overview

Problem

Existing blade dispensers with hinged chambers are prone to accidental opening, making blades accessible and posing safety risks.

Innovation Solution

A blade dispenser with a sliding structure that includes a body portion and a lid portion, where the lid is slidable relative to the body, and a hinge mechanism that allows the dispenser to transition between closed, extended, and open configurations, enabling secure storage and easy access to blades.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Ease of operation

If a hinged chamber design is used for blade storage, then easy access to blades is achieved, but safety is compromised due to accidental opening

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveaccess to bladesVSAvoidsafety risk from accidental opening
Core Design Contradiction:
Ease of operationVSObject-affected harmful factors

Solution Approach 1:

The dispenser is divided into three distinct segments: a body portion, a slidable lid portion, and a hinged chamber portion. This segmentation allows each component to perform its specific function - the lid provides secure closure, while the hinged chamber enables controlled access - thereby resolving the contradiction between safety and ease of access.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

The mechanism transitions from a static hinged design to a dynamic two-stage system. The lid portion slides to extend the dispenser, and only then can the hinged chamber open. This dynamic sequence ensures that the chamber is only accessible when intentionally opened after the lid is moved, preventing accidental opening while maintaining easy access when needed.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #15Dynamics

2Object-affected harmful factors

If a sliding lid structure is added to prevent accidental opening, then safety is improved, but device complexity increases

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvesafety from accidental openingVSAvoidstructure complexity
Core Design Contradiction:
Object-affected harmful factorsVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The sliding lid mechanism and hinged chamber are merged into a coordinated system where the lid's extension motion naturally positions the chamber for opening. This integration means the safety feature (sliding lid) and access feature (hinged chamber) work together as a unified mechanism rather than separate complex systems, minimizing overall complexity while maintaining safety.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #5Merging (Combining)

3Object-affected harmful factors

If the lid is kept closed to ensure safety, then blade accessibility is reduced, but safety is maintained

Engineering Contradiction:
ImprovesafetyVSAvoidblade accessibility
Core Design Contradiction:
Object-affected harmful factorsVSEase of operation

Solution Approach 1:

The user must first perform the preliminary action of sliding the lid portion to extend the dispenser before accessing the blades. This preliminary action serves as an intentional activation step that distinguishes deliberate access from accidental opening, thereby maintaining safety while enabling easy access when needed.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #10Preliminary action

Data Source

PatentEP4302943B1Hinged blade dispenser
Publication Date: 2025.11.12 STANLEY BLACK & DECKER INC
  • EP4302943B1 patent drawingFigure 1
  • EP4302943B1 patent drawingFigure 2
  • EP4302943B1 patent drawingFigure 3A~3B

AI summary

The present invention provides a blade dispenser (10) which includes a body portion (20); and a lid portion (30) slidable relative to the body portion to move the blade dispenser between a closed configuration and an extended configuration. The lid portion comprises a first lid portion (110) having a first blade chamber (170) and a second lid portion (120) having a second blade chamber (180). The first lid portion and the second lid portion are coupled by a hinge portion (130) configured to permit the first lid portion to pivot relative to the second lid portion to move the blade dispenser from the extended configuration to an open configuration. In the open configuration blades may be removed from or inserted into both the first blade chamber and the second blade chamber.