Toilet Safety Lid Locking Arm for Child-Resistant Access
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing safety devices for restricting access to toilet bowls are ineffective, expensive, difficult to install, unsightly, and not widely accepted, failing to prevent access by children and pets, which poses risks of infection, poisoning, and drowning.
Innovation Solution
A safety lid system with a moveable arm and locking mechanism that biases the lid closed, requiring users to pull and rotate the arm to unlock it, incorporating a ball end and keyway design for secure locking and aesthetically pleasing integration with existing toilet bowls.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If a simple lid is used for the toilet bowl, then ease of operation is improved, but safety is worsened as children and pets can easily access the bowl
Solution Approach 1:
The lid system transitions from a static simple lid to a dynamic system with a movable arm that can be pulled to unlock the lid, allowing the same lid to serve both as easy-to-operate (when unlocked) and safe (when locked)
Solution Approach 2:
An intermediary arm mechanism is introduced between the lid and the bowl, requiring a pulling action on the arm to unlock the lid, thereby adding a safety layer without complicating the lid itself
2Reliability
If a complex locking mechanism is added to restrict access, then safety is improved, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The locking function is segmented into a separate movable arm component rather than being integrated into the lid structure, simplifying the overall system while maintaining safety functionality
Solution Approach 2:
The biasing mechanism automatically returns the arm to the locked position after unlocking, providing self-service functionality that reduces the need for complex control systems
3Reliability
If a biasing mechanism is added to automatically lock the lid, then safety is improved, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The biasing mechanism provides automatic self-locking functionality by utilizing spring force to return the arm to the locked position, eliminating the need for additional actuators or control systems
Solution Approach 2:
The locking function is extracted from the main lid mechanism and placed in the separate arm assembly with its own biasing mechanism, allowing independent operation and simplification of the overall system
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
Effectively restricts access to toilet bowls by requiring a combination of pulling and rotating forces to unlock, making it difficult for children to open, thereby reducing the risk of accidents and maintaining a clean, functional toilet.
Implementation Method 1
a biasing mechanism connected to the arm biasing the ball end toward the toilet bowl when the arm is connected to the lid
Data Source
AI summary
An embodiment of the safety lid system includes a container having an interior chamber and a lid moveably connected to the container, an arm having a locking end is functionally connected to the lid, and a holding device having an interior channel adapted for disposing a portion of the locking end is connected to the container. The locking end of the arm is moveable from a locked position wherein the locking end is disposed within the channel of the holding device securing the lid to the container in a position restricting access to the interior chamber and an unlocked position wherein the locking end is removed from the channel. The arm may be biased toward the container wherein when the system is in the locked position the arm must be urged outward from the container to lift the lid from the container.