Winged Capsule Retainer With Reinforced Bottom Wall
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Solution Overview
Problem
Winged capsule devices used for controlled release formulations in animals are prone to damage during packaging and transportation, especially under cold conditions and drop impacts, leading to bent or broken wings that result in disposal issues and increased waste.
Innovation Solution
The design incorporates a capsule retainer with a central wing portion and laterally extending wings, featuring a localized flexure area and reinforcement ribs to enhance flexibility and strength, along with a thicker reinforcement section on the bottom wall to mitigate damage during handling and impact.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If the wings are made flexible and resilient to enable insertion and self-expansion, then the ease of operation is improved, but the strength is reduced making the wings prone to bending and breakage during packaging and transport
Solution Approach 1:
The wing structure incorporates varying thickness throughout its geometry, with thicker regions at stress concentration points (near the joint and at intermediate positions) and thinner regions in less critical areas. This local variation in material distribution provides enhanced strength where needed while preserving flexibility and resiliency in other areas, resolving the contradiction between operational flexibility and structural strength.
2Loss of substance
If the wings are made thinner to reduce material usage and cost, then the loss of substance is reduced, but the reliability is reduced making the wings more susceptible to damage during handling
Solution Approach 1:
The wing geometry features non-uniform thickness distribution with strategically placed thicker sections at locations subject to highest stress during packaging, transport, and handling. This allows the overall material usage to remain low while providing localized reinforcement where it is most needed to prevent damage, thereby maintaining reliability without excessive material consumption.
3Productivity
If the capsule is subjected to cold conditions during shipping, then the productivity is maintained, but the reliability is reduced due to increased susceptibility to end fractures after drop impact
Solution Approach 1:
The capsule design incorporates a reinforced bottom wall with increased thickness and structural strengthening features that provide preemptive protection against impact damage. This reinforcement is designed to compensate for the embrittlement effect of cold temperatures, ensuring that even if the capsule undergoes drop impact during shipping, the bottom structure will resist fracturing and maintain reliability.
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
The enhanced design reduces the incidence of wing damage and breakage, thereby minimizing waste and disposal costs while maintaining the capsule's functionality and effectiveness in delivering substances over extended periods.
Implementation Method 1
the intermediate portion having a width narrowing from a width adjacent the central wing portion to the distal width
Implementation Method 2
the bottom portion also including an reinforcement section adjacent a radial circumferential edge of the bottom wall and having a thickness greater than a thickness of the bottom wall
Data Source
AI summary
A winged capsule (10) including a capsule (14) having a bottom wall (143) and tubular wall (141) extending from the bottom wall, the tubular wall and the bottom wall defining an inner space adapted to contain a substance (17), and the bottom wall having an aperture (144) adapted to deliver the substance to the animal; and a capsule retainer (18) including a central wing portion (180) connected to the capsule and wings (182) connected to and extending laterally from the central wing portion along a wing plane, the central wing portion having a maximum central width (Wt), wherein each of the wings has a distal end having a distal width and an Intermediate portion between the distal end and the central wing portion, the intermediate portion having a width narrowing from a width adjacent the central wing portion to the distal width.