Sliding Package with Hinged Appendage and Locking Flaps
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing packages for containing loose items, such as tablets or sweets, are not childproof and often fail to prevent accidental opening, leading to spills, and their design does not ensure secure closure over time due to easily damaged tongues and free-pivoting lids.
Innovation Solution
A package design featuring an outer casing with a thicker locking flap and a connecting appendage hinged to both casings, which includes a locking mechanism with flaps to prevent immediate opening and a creased connecting appendage for easier opening and closing, ensuring the package remains childproof for a longer duration.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If a conventional reclosable package with a hinged lid and tongue closure is used, then the package can be opened and closed, but the tongue is easily defaced and the lid remains free to pivot when open, compromising secure closure over time
Solution Approach 1:
The package is divided into two separate casings (inner and outer) that slide relative to each other, replacing the single-casing hinged lid design. This segmentation allows the closure function to be distributed across multiple components with distinct roles, improving reliability.
Solution Approach 2:
The connecting appendages are pre-configured with hinge lines and breasted sections that automatically engage when the casings are assembled, establishing a stable closed configuration before use. The travel limiting feature is pre-built into the appendage structure to prevent over-extension.
Solution Approach 3:
The connecting appendages act as intermediary elements between the inner and outer casings, providing a controlled mechanical linkage that replaces the direct tongue-lip engagement. These appendages mediate the closure action through sliding motion and maintain stability through their hinged-breasted construction.
2Ease of operation
If the inner casing is made slidable within the outer casing for easy opening, then access to contents is improved, but the two parts can extend too far apart during movement, exposing the opening and allowing accidental spills
Solution Approach 1:
The travel limiting feature is pre-built into the connecting appendages through their specific geometry and hinge-breast configuration, automatically preventing excessive separation before it can occur during normal movement or handling.
Solution Approach 2:
The connecting appendages serve as intermediary elements that control the relative motion between casings, allowing sufficient movement for opening while mediating against excessive separation through their mechanical constraints.
3Ease of operation
If the lid is made free-pivoting on its hinge for easy opening, then operational ease is improved, but the lid can impede the passage of contents when shaken out
Solution Approach 1:
The package is segmented into inner and outer casings with the opening located in the inner casing. This segmentation allows the opening to be positioned away from the outer casing structure, eliminating interference with contents passage during dispensing.
Solution Approach 2:
Instead of having the lid pivot on the outer casing, the design inverts the structure by placing the opening in the inner casing that slides within the outer casing. This reversal of the traditional lid-hinge arrangement eliminates the interference problem.
4Ease of operation
If the opening size matches the entire cross sectional area of the package for easy dispensing, then contents access is improved, but the opening cannot be securely concealed when closed
Solution Approach 1:
The package is divided into inner and outer casings, with the opening located in the inner casing. This segmentation allows the opening to be fully concealed within the outer casing when closed, while maintaining a size appropriate for dispensing when open.
Solution Approach 2:
The inner casing containing the opening is nested within the outer casing. When closed, the outer casing completely encloses the inner casing and its opening, providing secure concealment. The nested structure allows the opening to be appropriately sized while maintaining closure security.
Data Source
Figure 1
Figure 2
AI summary
A package (1) for containing loose items comprises at least one outer casing (2), at least one inner casing (3) accommodated slidably within the outer casing (2) and capable of motion between a closed configuration, in which an opening (4) presented by the inner casing (3) is concealed completely by the at least one outer casing (2), and an open configuration in which the opening (4) is exposed at least in part. The package (1) further comprises at least one connecting appendage (5) hinged along a first line to a side wall of the outer casing (2), and along a second line to a side wall of the inner casing (3) breasted in sliding contact with the side wall of the outer casing. The outer casing (2) comprises a locking part with a flap (6) folded to act against a corresponding locking part of the inner casing (3) also comprising a flap (7), both flaps (6, 7) in folded state being attached to the outer casing (2) and the inner casing (3), respectively. The two locking parts prevent immediate opening of the package from the closed configuration to the open configuration and wherein said part of the outer casing (2) is thicker than said part of the inner casing (3).