Opening a Pill Bottle

Engineering 1281.04H

Spring, 2016

Nora Myer, CEO

Kyle LeScoezec, CFO & VP of HR

Tony Mango, VP of Manufacturing

Justin Monte, VP of Engineering

Wes Terveer, VP of Marketing

Kyle LeScoezec (KL) Tony Mango (TM) Justin Monte (JM)

Nora Myer (NM) Wes Terveer (WT)

Version 3.0 from 3/25/16

Revision History

Revision Date Author(s) Description

1.0

2.0

1/31/16

2/22/16

KL, TM, JM,

NM, WT

KL, TM, JM,

NM, WT

Creation

Design Concepts

3.0 3/25/16 KL, TM, JM,

NM, WT

Detailed Design

1. Introduction

The given problem was to identify a task that presented difficulties for those with arthritis

and create a product that targets both arthritis users yet also appeals to those without arthritis

symptoms. This type of product encompasses design aspects from the universal design concept

which aims to incorporate a product that is usable and relatable to a wide spectrum of the

population not limited to gender, age, disability, or race.

In the following document, the initial problem, background research, demographic

studies, task description, and detailed prototype and business design are laid out. The Problem

Definition section identifies the specific task targeted while introducing primary and secondary

research. Following that, the Design Concept section presents product requirements and the

selection process for the design. The Detailed Design section then documents the development

and particulars of the prototype while the Prototype Design and Verification section graphically

and descriptively outlines the specifics of the prototype and validates the product. Lastly, the

Final Product Recommendation section provides final analysis of the product and verification

while suggesting any final recommendations.

2. Background

Within the next 15 years, it is expected that over 67 million adults will be affected by

some form of arthritis [1]. Arthritis is considered an umbrella term covering over 100 different

diseases, and currently it is the number one cause of disability in the United States. Those

affected with arthritis experience significant setbacks both in and outside of the home including

the loss of employment, social stigma, loss of independence, and increasing loss of the ability to

perform day-to-day tasks. The annual cost of arthritis in the form of lost wages due to inability to

work and medical bills totals roughly $156 billion. Although the number of adults affected by

arthritis is roughly one in five, many products create significant restrictions of use for those with

symptoms [1].

While different types of arthritis affect movement and joints differently, over 25% of

woman experience doctor-diagnosed arthritis compared to only 18% of men who have

symptoms. Although arthritis is commonly thought of as a disease beginning in the onset of late

adulthood, the most common sign of symptoms occurs in between the ages of 30-60 at the time

of childbirth, with symptoms becoming increasingly more pronounced as time passes.

Considering that 30% of all mothers in the United States are stay-at-home mothers and the

average age of retirement in the United States is 63 years old, a large portion of those affected by

arthritis experience most routine setbacks within their homes. Therefore the target area for the

product is day-to-day tasks within the home. This area encompasses tasks in and around the

kitchen such as mixing, baking, and washing dishes, yet also analyzes routine activities in other

areas of the home. The goal is to create a product that is prevalent in everyday life and that

improves the processes of completing a mundane task for those both with and without arthritis

[2].

3. The Task

The purpose of this design process is to create a versatile product for use within the

kitchen or around the home that improves the efficiency and satisfaction of a task completion for

everyday users including those with arthritis. The primary market includes men and women

experiencing severe or onset symptoms of arthritis which encompasses roughly 20% of the

American adult population. Within the coming years, this number is expected to grow from 50

million to over 65 million by 2030, demonstrating a widely expanding market for products

catering to those with arthritis. The secondary market considers those without arthritis who are

looking to improve a mundane task within the home. The coupling of these two markets

represents a foundational goal of the universal design process, which is integral to the approach

of this product [2].

Through primary and secondary research, movements and activities causing problems for

people with arthritis were identified in order to narrow the market area to a specific task. Simple

motions like twisting, gripping, and lifting were noted for causing significant effort and

discomfort. One task that incorporates twisting, gripping, and firm pressing movements

identified throughout the research stage is opening medicine or vitamin bottles containing a

child-proof locking system; this task demonstrates a significant difficulty in everyday life.

Today, more than 70% of the American population hold at least one prescription and over 50%

hold at least two. Additionally, roughly half of Americans purchase and use vitamins regularly.

Many of these prescriptions and vitamin containers utilize this distinct child-locking system seen

below in Figure 1. This represents a large spread market for a universal product targeting the

improvement of opening medicine bottles [3].

Figure 1: Child Proof Medicine bottles [10].

4. Secondary Research

Current alternatives to opening medicine bottles include pushing a thumbtack through the

top of the lid in order to disable the child-proof feature that comes on many medicine bottles. In

addition, another strategy involves prying off the first of two caps that comprise the child-

proofing mechanism. As shown on the next page in Figure 2, once the outer cap is taken off, the

inner one functions just as a non-child-proof cap would—without any strenuous pushing or

twisting required [9].

Figure 2: The two caps of the child-proof lock [9].

In addition to the alternative methods for de-child-proofing the bottles, there are products

that claim to help those with arthritis open medicine bottles. Table 1, located below, is a

Competitive Matrix. This table outlines those products and their respective features, showing

where certain ones have an advantage or disadvantage. The features shown are based on certain

user needs gathered from primary research.

None of the products on the Competitive Matrix above fulfill all the features that are

outlined. This is problematic for the target market as the features coincide with the users’ needs.

Table 1: Competitive Matrix

These products lack universal design and could cause a user pain because of their arthritis.

Products such as the Multi-Grip Twist Cap Opener and the Magnifying Medi-Grip work fairly

well for users as described by their customer reviews, but lack versatility in opening medicine

bottles of any shape or size.

Based on statistics found via the internet, we have a primary target market--made up of

adults with arthritis that use prescription medication. This group is 49.6 million men and women

in the United States with arthritis. In addition, there is a secondary market comprised of the

225.5 million Americans that use prescription drugs. This market does not contain many sellers

as the identified task of opening medicine bottles is very specific. One of the few companies that

has developed a product to help open medicine bottles is Jokari US, Inc. who develops unique

kitchen gadgets [6]-[8].

Currently the Arthritis Foundation uses a thorough and rigorous testing process in order

to deem products easy to use for those with arthritis. A product that passes the testing is given

the Ease of Use™ seal that can be put on the outside of its packaging. This process includes two

main steps which are carried out by the Georgia Tech Research Institute. The first of which is a

scientific evaluation of the product, testing the linear and rotational forces needed to operate it

(maximum five and ten lbs, respectively). In addition, the one-handed lifting motions for lifting

and carrying are analyzed. Then eight people with moderate to severe rheumatoid arthritis will

use the product. Afterwards, a group of scientists will conduct a comprehensive interview with

the eight users to further understand their experience with it. A product must pass all the

evaluation tests and five of the eight users must experience little-no pain while using it. If simply

one test user describes great difficulty while using it, the product fails the approval process [6]-

[7].

5. Primary Research

To more clearly identify the selected task of opening child-proof medicine bottles,

interviews were conducted in order to gather information from potential end users. The four

people that the group received the most beneficial information from were Amy, a middle aged

mom residing in a suburb outside of Cincinnati, Cora, a grandmother residing in a suburb

Southwest of Columbus, Patricia, a grandmother residing in a suburb outside of Youngstown,

and Molly, another middle aged mom residing in a suburb outside of Cleveland. All four of them

cook regularly and are interested in buying a product that would ease the stress of their

respective arthritis. Each interview was conducted via phone call; however, future interviews

hopefully will be in person. If done in person, the group will watch how an act is performed and

where the pain is prevalent instead of imagining the situation over the phone. Both a discussion

guide and a listening guide were created to aid in the process. These two documents can be found

in Figures B1 and B2 in Appendix B, respectively. In addition, the results of the four interviews

on individual listening guides under Figures B3-B6 found in Appendix B. The discussion guide

allows the person being interviewed to brainstorm all difficult tasks early on, and then it targets

specific tasks later on that the group is looking to attack. The listening guide provides a

simplistic format that highlights the important points learned from the interview, including

possible new topics or ideas to analyze. The group intends to interview all four people again in

the future regarding ideas for a new product and if they would be willing to use it or not.

6. Final Results of Interviews

Without restricting the creative process, the group targeted tasks not only limited to the

kitchen. The five most difficult tasks that the group learned of are folding laundry, opening

childproof medicine bottles, putting on jewelry, and lifting heavy objects such as a pot full of

water with one hand. Though most interviewees exercise regularly to avoid stiffness, the pain is

most prevalent in the wrists, but also shows up in the fingers near the knuckles. Inflammation

often occurs resulting in the worst pain, whereas when there is no inflammation, pain only shows

up when stress was put on the area with arthritis. Pain was especially present when twisting the

cap off of the medicine bottle. After analyzing the most difficult and applicable task, the group

chose to attack opening a medicine bottle. All the interviewees would be interested in something

to assist with this process.

7. Value Proposition, Customer Segments, and Needs

The group hypothesizes that if the twisting motion of opening the caps is eliminated, then

the joint pain can be alleviated.

To ensure that the product being developed improves the daily lives of the users, the team

identified some pains of arthritis as well as the potential benefits a new product would provide.

One of the struggles associated with arthritis is asking for assistance. This is not only limits the

person suffering from arthritis’s independence, but it also inconveniences someone else and

causes general inefficiency. This may persuade someone to avoid some activities entirely. The

user might also put themselves in danger when trying to complete tasks in the kitchen if their

joints are not functioning fully. This could leave the user unsatisfied with their abilities,

uncomfortable as a result of stress on the joints, and potentially injured. The team believes a new

product would be able to make a number of different improvements to the user’s experience.

These betterments include reduced completion time, an increase in confidence, a lack of

hesitation when performing a previously painful action, and a general decrease in stress and pain

in the long term.

In an effort to understand the user needs of the customer base, a user experience chart

isolates the specific steps involved in opening a child-proof medicine bottle. This chart, located

in on the following page as Figure 3, examines the process from start to finish. The setup stage of

obtaining and standing up the bottle is generally not very difficult for the user. The removal stage

is where the user’s experience includes the most frustration and discomfort. Some of the more

painful tasks during this stage are firmly gripping the cap and twisting counter clockwise. These

movements affect both the wrist and finger joints heavily. Other tasks that prove particularly

difficult are removing the pill from the bottle and pressing down the cap once again to seal the

bottle.

To gage the customer segments for the product the team created a profile largely based

on the feedback from interviewees. The customer profile details Sandra, a stay-at-home mom in

her 50s. Sandra has a husband, two children, and a yearly household income of roughly

$100,000. She primarily shops online and is responsible for the majority of jobs around the

house. Furthermore, she is interested in gardening, cooking, hiking, skiing, and programming. In

her free time Sandra enjoys frequenting national parks and volunteering in the community. This

full user profile can be seen on the following page in Figure 4.

Figure 3: User Experience chart

The needs that the group identified as most important to the user are reduced stress on the

wrist and fingers, safety, reliability, and a design that’s easy to understand. Other crucial factors

include price, quickness of use, and versatility. Some minor needs are that the product is

lightweight, protected against children, portable, and aesthetically pleasing. A table of user needs

can be found below as Table 2.

Figure 4: User Persona

Table 2: User Needs

Identified User Needs Ranking (5 highest)

Reduces Stress on wrists/fingers 5

Easy-to-understand design 5

Safety 5

Reliable/long -lasting 5

Helps dispense pills 5

Quick to use 4

Doesn’t break bottle 4

Versatile 4

Low cost/affordable 3

Light Weight 3

Safeguard against children 3

Easy to put cap back on 2

Portable/easy to store 2

Aesthetics 1

8. Development of Concepts

By gathering both primary and secondary research, experiences, and user needs, the team

was able to properly evaluate and incorporate this information into the initial concept

development process. Once the consumer needs were assessed, it was time to move forward in

the design process and begin brainstorming product concepts. The initial concept development

results came from a team brainstorming session, in which each member allowed the free flow of

ideas onto paper during both individual and collaborative time. During brainstorming, all ideas

both feasible and unfeasible were written. Small sketches were incorporated during this phase in

order to provide a clearer image of each person’s idea. Questions triggered additional ideas, and

as the ideas were written on Post-It notes on the tabletop, ideas were built upon. At the end of the

individual brain storming session, each group member went through his ideas and shared his

thoughts with the entire group. Group members shared initial feedback. The results from the

individual brainstorming session was a wide array of concepts for products in the form of short

phrases and rough sketches.

Heading into the team brainstorming, the team piggybacked off of each other’s ideas,

providing preliminary concept analysis. This group lateral thinking allowed for creative

processing and for more ideas to flow. During this phase, random stimuli from magazines in the

form of pictures, ads, and text were utilized to further encourage the production of more

ideas. By the end, there were a few concept designs which stood out from the collaborative

effort. After the brainstorming, drawing, and incorporation of stimuli, follow-up

research progressed five of the standout and leading designs from the brainstorming

session. Moving forward, these team design concepts were then graphically depicted.

One of the needs identified from the user interviews was the need for relief of the

twisting force on the cap of medicine bottles. During the brainstorming process, this need was

incorporated into several designs. Three of the five narrowed concepts attempt to remove the

twisting motion of the cap by utilizing mechanics and transferring a downward force into a

centripetal force. The other two do not remove the twisting motion yet attempt to alleviate the

overall forces needs to open the standard medicine bottles.

Figure 5 on the following page depicts one of the final five design concepts called the

“Pill Drill”. The Pill Drill incorporates design aspects from the Yankee hand drill. The device is

locked onto the medicine bottle cap and held in one hand. Applying a force downward on the

ergonomic grip handle with the other hand opens the standard medicine bottle, allowing for the

easy access to medication by a user.

Figure 5: The pill drill sketch.

Similar to the Pill Drill concept, the Snap N’ Go integrates related pieces. After the

device is locked onto the cap, a downward force loads a spring, and when the spring snaps the

cap is twisted open, minimalizing the forces needed to open the medicine bottle. Like the Pill

Drill, this device would eliminate the twisting motion involved with most push-down and twist

child-locking medicine bottles. This concept is depicted below in Figure 6.

Figure 6: The Snap N’ Go sketch.

The last of the five concept designs that eliminates the twisting motion is the Rifling

device concept depicted on the next page in Figure 7. This product concept utilizes a basic

internal rifling mechanism. When a user places the device securely around the cap of his or her

medicine bottle and presses down lightly on the malleable and ergonomic-grip top, the internal

rifling twists and opens the cap.

Figure 7: Rifling orthographic drawing.

One of the finalized design concepts that does not remove the twisting motion in the

process of opening medicine bottles is the Heli-grip design, shown below in Figure 8. This is a

two piece concept; it has a lock-on device for the cap and a triangle shaped base to secure the

bottom. Once the top is placed and secured on the cap, both hands push down and twist the cap,

releasing the child-lock and allowing for pill access. The long handles provide torque which

reduces the force needed to open the medicine bottle.

Figure 8: The Heli-grip sketch.

The last design is a stationary version of a modified Heli-grip. The attachable component

screws neatly into the bottom of a kitchen cabinet or shelf. When a medicine bottle is secured in

the component, the bottle can be pushed upwards and twisted using only one hand. This concept

is depicted below in Figure 9. It is the only design concept that is stationary and meant to be

secured in the home. The other concepts are designated for a more portable use; they can fit in

one’s small purse or suitcase if necessary. Moving forward, reassessment of user needs and

viability of the designs will allow for a successful selection process.

Figure 9: Under-Counter Pill Drill sketch.

9. Selection Process

The team created a matrix comparing the five initial product designs against an existing

product in the market. Each design was judged on how well it fulfills each user need. If the

product design met the need in a better way than the base product, the Medi-Grip, then it

received a plus. If the product performed at the same level as the Medi-Grip it received a zero. If

the design did not meet the requirement as well as the base product it received a minus. The team

then added up each column to produce a net score. The Snap n’ Go and the Under Rifle products

were both eliminated after both received net scores of negative three. After this process, the list

of potential product designs was narrowed to three. Figure 10 on the following page shows the

matrix that was used to gather the data and make the decisions on what designs to eliminate.

Since the mechanisms of each of the products were and inherently independent, no combinations

of the products were made for the next step of the selection process. Because of the complex

nature of the concepts, this matrix was only used to filter concepts, rather than upgrading and

combining certain ones for the next step of the selection process.

After thinning the search down to three designs, the team formed a Pugh Matrix. This

matrix follows a similar strategy to the comparison matrix, however it puts additional weight on

needs that the team deemed especially important. Two crucial user needs are reducing stress on

the wrist and fingers and making the product easy to understand. After giving each of the three

designs ratings for each category, it was still too close for the team to distinguish which product

to fully support. To help separate the designs, feasibility and competitive categories were added.

The feasibility category means how easy and realistic it would be to create the product. The

competitive category is a gage of how many similarly designed products are currently in the

market. Once the new criteria had been added, the Pill Drill separated itself as the clear favorite.

The Heli-Grip and the Rifling Grip finished with a 3.157 and a 3.119, respectively. The Pill Drill

was over 0.2 points ahead at a total score of 3.343. Table 4 on the following page reveals the

final Pugh Matrix that was used to select the ultimate product design.

Table 3: Medi-Grip comparison matrix used to narrow the list of designs.

Table 4: The final Pugh Matrix.

10. Selected Concept

After selecting the Pill Drill concept, the idea was further refined into an isometric

perspective. A cross section was taken in order to reveal what happens mechanically inside the

product. This cross section can be found below in Figure 10. The concept was also designed in

Solidworks, modeling what the gadget looks like from the outside—the perspective that

customers would see. The Solidworks model can be found under Figure A1 in the Appendix A,

Extra Figures.

Figure 10: Orthographic drawing of the Pill Drill.

The product follows the similar idea of a Yankee drill. The Yankee drill uses a push

down motion in order to spin an object orthogonal to the push down motion. This innovation led

to the idea of using a handle to apply a force downwards while spinning the lid at the same time,

reducing stress on the user’s wrists.

The Pill Drill works by attaching the push down handle to a spring, which is then

attached to a circular surface that will sit atop of the medicine bottle lid. When compressed, the

spring will disperse the downward force onto the surface of the lid, allowing for the force to be

spread over the entire surface of the lid rather than a specific spot. Further research will be

conducted in order to find the appropriate spring needed to add a mechanical advantage for the

downward force. A locking system will also be looked into in order to allow for the possibility of

putting the cap back on (reversing the rotation).

While the spring is being compressed, the push down handle will have a buffer zone in

order to allow the spring to add enough force to push the lid downwards before it starts rotating.

This is indicated by the non-grooved surface of the push down handle. Once the spring is

applying enough force downwards, the grooved portion of the push down handle will feed

through a figure eight-type gear. This gear will rotate as the push down handle passes through it,

and rotate the entire outside cap of the product. The rotation is done through the gear locking on

to grooves attached to the inside portion of the cap.

Because the pill bottle lid does not need to be rotated very much to take off, the product

cap will rotate somewhere between the range of 10-30 degrees. As seen in Figure 12, the

products cap is shaped in a lampshade fashion in order to adapt to multiple lid sizes. The

triangles found on the inside are used to lock onto the medicine bottle’s lid where holes are

present. With the group deciding whether or not to reverse the direction of the cap to put the lid

back on, the material used for the cap is in question. If the group manages to reverse the direction

of the spin, the group will use a plastic lid to keep costs low. However, if the reversible direction

is not achieved, the group will look into using a rubber material that is gripped easily by the

human hand. Because the lid only needs to be twisted back on without an additional downward

force, the rubber grip would allow the user to simply twist the lid back on. An isometric drawing

of the product on top of the cap can be on the next page as Figure 11.

After deciding the final concept, the idea was pitched to our interviewee’s. All four of

them responded saying that idea is innovative and beneficial to reducing stress on the wrists.

They also liked how the twisting motion could be completely removed from the process. If the

price is affordable and appropriate, all four would be willing to buy and test out the product.

There was feedback regarding the size of the product and whether it will be easily storable. This

concern will be addressed when prototyping the final product. When the group manages to

create/obtain a physical prototype, one of the group members would be willing to deliver the

product to one of the interviewees for demonstration and testing.

Figure 11: Orthographic drawing of the Pill Drill.

11. Product Requirements, Channels, and Customer Relationships

In order to make sure that all the consumer needs were met, one or more measurable

requirements were selected for each consumer need. These requirements were placed into a

matrix which can be seen in Figure 13 below.

Table 5: User needs versus Product Requirements Martix

In the above matrix, the correlations between the needs and the requirements are shown

by either a one, three, or nine. A one indicates that there is very little correlation and the nine

indicates a very strong correlation. To determine the importance of a requirement, the number

identifying the correlation strength was multiplied by the weight of the user need. These numbers

were summed for each requirement and totaled at the bottom. The higher scores, indicated by

green backgrounds, are the most important requirements.

Next, a requirements table was created that contains both an acceptable range and an

ideal value for each requirement. This can be seen in Table 6 below, and will be used along with

the requirements correlation matrix to manage tradeoffs faced during the design process.

However, this table was eventually updated and can be found as Table 8 on page 22.

Besides requirements, another thing that is important to our customers is how they obtain our

product. The distribution method that we plan on using is to partner with wholesalers. This way

our product will be able to have a nationwide reach and not require additional costs such as

employing a sales force. Customer service is also very important. Because our target consumer is

Requirements: Range: Ideal:

Diameter 2-5 inches 3.5 inches

Height 3-7 inches 4 inches

Weight 3-10 oz 5oz

Grip Feel <Unmalleable Soft grip

Survives Drop to Floor 1-8 ft 8 ft

Cap Diameter 1-3 inch

1.7 inch (CVS Bottle Cap

Diameter)

Product Life 0-10 years 5 years

Color Colorful Light Blue/Orange/Yellow

Hands Required 1-2 hands 1 hand from user

Rotation Degrees

(turned by device) 5-30 degrees 30 degrees

Rotation by User <20 degrees None

Time to remove cap

1-30

second(s) 5 seconds

Cost per Unit

(Manufacturing) $5-$20 $5

Forces Applied

1-2

direction(s) 1 direction

Number of Bottles

Applicable 1-6 6

Instructions Required

none-1

notecard Simple graphics

Puts Cap Back On No-Yes Yes

Table 6: Product Requirements with engineering units.

over 40 years old, the best form of customer relations will be to have representatives available to

take calls. If no customer representatives are available at the time of the call, there will be a

recording of frequently asked questions, as well as their answers, to assist the customer. A social

media presence will also be developed to help users as over 70% of adults use the internet for

social networking of some kind. [11].

12. Development of Detail Design

Several tradeoffs were made during the design process in order to better fit the needs of

the user and the requirements. The helix shaped shaft allows for the base to be twisted while it is

pushed down by the user from the top. Transferring linear motion to rotational force decreases

the stress on users’ hands and wrists, the highest weighting need in the Pugh Matrix found on

page 15. In an effort to further reduce this stress, the product was enlarged from its original

dimensions in order to have a more ergonomic grip. This compromises the portability and

storability of the product but was decided upon as the reduced stress was given a higher

importance according to the Pugh Matrix, which is found on page 15. Using similar logic, the

product is comprised of one part rather than two separate parts. A single-part product allows for

quicker use and makes the design easier to understand. The decision to design the product as one

part will prove beneficial in manufacturing and packaging as there will be less pieces and

material.

Other key features of the design offer certain technical or business benefits. For example,

the bell shaped base allows for the most versatility in the product, fitting multiple sizes of pill

bottles and still offering potential for a firm grip. The dome shaped head eliminates stress on the

hand by fitting into the user’s palms rather than requiring a grip of the user’s fingers. In addition,

the notches on the inner side of the bell shaped-base are designed to fit perfectly inside the holes

around all six standard CVS pill bottle caps. A model of these notches are shown below in Figure

12.

Figure 12: Underside of Pill Drill model.

This feature brings up another tradeoff that was made in the design process. Although the

specially dimensioned notches decrease its potential versatility of opening any bottle, they allow

for a smoother and more reliable opening of those specific bottles. These two benefits were more

important than versatility to the potential end users as shown by our Pugh Matrix on page 15.

Being designed for specific bottles will also help the marketing of the product as users will know

exactly what it can be used for.

13. Detail Design Documentation

The design has several parts, most of which will be made from a high grade plastic

material called high density polyethylene, which both fits the nature of this design and is cost

effective. The grip coating will be created using Performix Plasti Dip, which is a rubber-like

spray-on material that can easily be applied to desired locations. The table above, Table 7, lists

each part number and the material that will be used.

Shown below and on the next page as Figures 13 and 14 are images of the Solid Works

model of the Pill Drill.

Figure 13: SolidWorks model of Pill Drill.

Table 7: Bill of Materials.

Figure 14: SolidWorks model of the Helix structure of the Pill Drill.

14. Assembly and Manufacturing Procedures

The group’s first rough prototype was modeled using SolidWorks and converted into a

3D file appropriate for 3D printing. It was printed in plastic form on March 21st, 2016, utilizing

the Ohio State University’s 3D printers. Although this process was not difficult to do, it was

expensive and improbable for manufacturing in large quantities.

The product will be manufactured using thermoplastics. The high density polyethylene

will be vacuum or injection formed, meaning it will be heated at high temperatures, molded into

a design, and allowed to cool. Large machinery is needed to melt the polyethylene in large

proportions, as well as robotic equipment to maneuver the plastic and assemble it into molds.

This machinery is very expensive and time consuming to build, and therefore an outside

manufacturing company will be utilized in creating the final product.

The manufacturing company will create the molds based on the group’s dimensioned

prototype. These molds will be made using aluminum or another metal to avoid high temperature

malleability and adhesion with the plastic. The SolidWorks file will be manipulated into four

connectable parts for feasibility in manufacturing. The first part consists of the body of the

product that fits around the medicine cap. The second part will be the push down handle,

including the helix shaft, but without the bottom mechanism that prevents it from coming out.

Therefore, the third part will be the bottom mechanism. The bottom mechanism and the bottom

of the rifled shaft will be threaded so that they can screw together much like a water bottle cap.

The fourth part will be the buffer zone, the part that attaches to the body and has the hole in it

that the rifled shaft goes through. This part and the body will also be threaded so they can screw

together like a water bottle cap. Therefore, an assembly process will be required in the following

order: Sliding the rifled shaft through the hole of the buffer zone, screwing on the stopper

mechanism to the bottom of the shaft, and then screwing on the buffer zone to the body of the

product.

After redesigning the handle for manufacturing and finishing the final designs for the

prototype, the group will research appropriate companies to produce the final product. The ideal

circumstance would involve paying a company to acquire the materials necessary, manufacturing

the two pieces, and assembling them together. Potential partners for this process include

Hedstrom Plastics, EVCO Plastics, and other nearby firms. On the other hand, there are firms

that manufacture products using 3D printers and SolidWorks files, such as Primex

Manufacturing. The team will decide which option is most feasible and cost effective after

further research. The next steps also include researching packaging and possible firms to do so.

15. User/Operator Instructions

Located in Appendix A, Extra Figures, as Figure A2 is a user manual which describes

how a user may use the product effectively.

16. Requirements Update

Moving forward in the design process, both incorporating and reevaluating product

requirements is vital to the success of the product. After potential consumer and board of

investors feedback, several of the product requirements needed updating. The color of the device

should be brightly colored in order to be easily seen in the cabinet or storage location. Originally,

the requirement was that the bottle opener be dull in color as to discourage kids from playing

with it. It is unlikely the bright color will attract children, however, and the bright colors attract

the eyes of the user. Since a large portion of the potential market demographics is older than 50,

the visibility of the product is crucial. Additionally, the number of bottle caps accommodated

requirement was updated. There are 3 standard CVS bottle cap sizes and 6 standard bottles, so

the ideal requirements is meeting all of these standard CVS bottle size varieties. No other

requirements were changed throughout the prototyping. The update requirements table can be

found on the next page in Table 8. [NORA PUT THIS BITCH IN AND CHANGE THE BOM

IN SECTION 13]

17. Prototype Plans

The first prototypes for the Pill Drill were constructed primarily through Ohio State’s 3-D

printing machines. Both the moving helix and the stationary cap gripping portions of the device

will be printed in plastic. The use of printing wax will allow the moving part to be produced

within the socket of the device, bypassing complex manufacturing processes. Once the device is

printed, the inside of the device in which the cap is placed is coated in Performix Plasti Dip, a

rubbery plastic which will allow maximum grip of the medicine bottle cap.

One such possibilities to prototype additionally is through an outside resource. Olan

Plastics, a Columbus based manufacturing company, has multiple prototyping capabilities. One

capability is the company’s extensive SLA, or stereolithography, processes, which is an additive

3D process that can be used to create prototypes. This process is especially good for intricate

pieces that are difficult to manufacture. Prototyping through an outside party would allow for

another method to evaluate the product prior to investing in manufacturing infrastructure, thus

preventing unneccessary costs. Olan Plastics specializes in materials, molding, plastics, and

manufacturing, so its expertise would provide valuable insight into the future of the product and

the manufacturing process.

18. Further Market Analysis

According to a study done by the CDC in 2013, roughly 48% of the US is taking at least

one prescription medication [12]. The 2014 US census reports that there are 245 million people

in the US that are over the age of 18 [13]. This means that around 118 million people over 18

years old are using prescription medication. Our product is designed for CVS caps, which is one

of the leading pharmaceutical companies with a market share of 20.7% [14]. With these

numbers, it is possible to conclude that 24.4 million people get their prescriptions from CVS.

Therefore, our market is 24.4 million individuals. However, our product will appeal more

strongly to people who have arthritis. According to the CDC, one in five adults have doctor

diagnosed arthritis [15]. Therefore, approximately 4.9 million people will have arthritis and get

their prescription medications from CVS. This is the segment of our market that is most likely to

purchase our product.

Our biggest competition will be with other dome-shaped openers like the Magnifying

Medi-Grip. However, there are also other means of storing medicine on the market such as

blister packaging, shown on the next page in Figure 15, and easy to open lids that are not

childproof.

Figure 15: Blister packaging. [16]

However, the main feature of the Pill Drill is that it allows users to open regular

childproof caps with one simple motion. Every product currently in the market of assisting the

opening of these bottles still requires two motions: linear and rotational.

The product is designed so that it can be manufactured using injection molding. Using a

high density polyethylene and manufacturing rounds of 10,000, it will cost $1.01 per part for

material to manufacture. It will cost an additional $9,800 for the tooling. The estimated cost to

produce each unit will be around $5. We will sell them for $20.

A key partner is going to be CVS. The Pill Drill will be a complementary product that is

mostly used for CVS caps, so it makes sense to partner with them. CVS could offer advertising

and demo the product to their customers while they are getting their prescriptions filled. This

would increase exposer to our target audience. This relationship would also help CVS because

some of their potential customers might be turned away due to not being able to open the caps

that CVS uses. If those potential buyers see that they will be able to easily be able to open CVS

bottles, they have a greater chance to fill their prescriptions at CVS in the future.

As described in the Assembly and Manufacturing Procedures, an injection mold will have

to be created before the potential market is targeted. The team will work with a company such as

Hedstrom Plastics or EVCO Plastics to make the mold and manufacture thousands of Pill Drills.

References

[1] Arthritis-Related Statistics. 2016, January 31.

http://www.cdc.gov/arthritis/data_statistics/arthritis-related-stats.htm

[2] Arthritis Prevalence and Statistics. 2016, January 28.

http://arthritis.about.com/od/arthritisthefacts/a/prevalence.htm

[3] Mayo Clinic Drug Research. 2016, January 30.

http://newsnetwork.mayoclinic.org/discussion/nearly-7-in-10-americans-take-prescription-drugs-

mayo-clinic-olmsted-medical-center-find

[4] Testing Ease-of-Use Products for arthritis patients. 2016, January 31. www.youtube.com

[5] Ease of Use. 2016, January 20. www.arthritis.gov

[6] Prevalence of doctor-diagnosed arthritis and arthritis-attributable activity limitation. 2016,

January 25. www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

[7] Demography of the United States. 2016, January 31. www.wikipedia.org

[8] Arthritis-Related Statistics. 2016, January 28. www.cdc.gov

[9] How to Make Evil Childproof Caps Easy to Open. 2016, January 30.

www.instructibles.com

[10] Recycling Prescription Bottles. 2016, February 20. http://www.thriftyfun.com/

[11] Social Networking Fact Sheet. 2016, February 19. http://www.pewinternet.org/

[12] National Center for Health Statistics. 2016, March 10. http://www.cdc.gov/nchs/hus.htm

[13] United States of America Census. 2016, March 10.

http://factfinder.census.gov/faces/nav/jsf/pages/index.xhtml

[14] Statistics and Facts on CVS Health. 2016, March 11

http://www.statista.com/topics/1599/cvs-caremark/

[15] Arthritis-Related Statistics. 2016, March 11. http://www.cdc.gov/arthritis/data_statistics/arthritis-related-stats.htm

[16] Pill Organizers. 2016, March 25 http://www.pillthing.com/

APPENDIX A

Extra Figures

Figure A1: Solid Works depiction of the Pill Drill.

Figure A2: Pill Drill Instruction Manual.

APPENDIX B

Interviewing Materials

Introduction

Introduce name and basic information including college program and class description

Introduce group purpose and problem

Current Experience

How would you describe your arthritis or arthritis-like symptoms?

On a scale of 1-10, with 10 being extreme pain and difficulty performing any task and 1 being arthritis does

not affect your daily life, what would you rate your experiences with arthritis?

What regions of the body are affected most by these symptoms?

Self diagnosed or doctor diagnosis?

Do you currently use any devices or medications regularly to help with the arthritis?

Any noticeable daily activities that stand out the most as being challenging due to arthritis symptoms?

Do you cook regularly?

On average, how long does it take you to prepare a meal?

Do you believe you'd be able to reduce prep time if you didn’t have arthritis?

Can you think of any tasks that take longer or are difficult to do with arthritis?

Explain a normal day in the kitchen.

What types of activities in the kitchen do you perform regularly?

Are you satisfied with your ability to preform most of these tasks?

Must you ever ask for the help of another when in the kitchen or home to complete a task?

If interviewee has demonstrated difficulty with a particular task, ask what approach he or she uses when

presented with a challenging task

Specific Tasks/Ideas

Next I will list some of basic tasks and if any cause particular difficulty completing due to arthritis

symptoms, please indicate

Opening Jars

Opening medicine and vitamin containers (containers where one must push down and then turn to open)

Mixing and stirring

Lifting / putting away groceries

Cutting

Eating with utensils

Washing pots, pans, or hands

Close

Thank them for the opportunity to speak with them

Mention you will speak soon with product ideas

Figure B1: Discussion Guide for Interviewing

Figure B2: Listening Guide for Interviewing

Figure B3: Listening Guide for Amy Myer

1. How would you describe your arthritis or arthritis-like symptoms?

Painful joints, soreness, loss of agility and range of motion.

2. On a scale of 1-10, with 10 being extreme pain and difficulty performing any task and 1 being

arthritis does not affect your daily life, what would you rate your experiences with arthritis?

Varies, generally 3-6

3. What regions of the body are affected most by these symptoms?

All joints at times, most pronounced in neck, rt. wrist and thumb area.

4. Were you self diagnosed or did a doctor give you a diagnosis?

Dr. diagnosed

5. Do you currently use any devices or medications regularly to help with the arthritis?

OTC meds., heat to affected sites. Anticipating cortisone injections to rt. wrist in near future.

6. Are there any noticeable daily activities that stand out the most as being challenging due to

arthritis symptoms?

Driving, when turning to look over rt. shoulder, lifting objects with rt. hand, stirring or beating foods

during food prep., hand sewing, cutting with scissors, opening jars

7. Do you cook regularly?

Yes

8. On average, how long would you say it takes you to prepare a meal?

30 + min

9. Do you believe you'd be able to reduce prep time if you didn’t have arthritis?

Probably

10. Can you think of any tasks that take longer or are difficult to do with arthritis?

Cleaning, ironing, cooking, writing, opening pop-top containers

11. What types of activities in the kitchen do you perform regularly?

Food preparation, serving and clean-up after meals, regular cleaning, put away groceries after shopping

12. Are you satisfied with your ability to preform most of these tasks?

You adjust!

13. Must you ever ask for the help of another when in the kitchen or home to complete a task?

Yes

14. If a particular task is difficult for you, what approach do you use to compensate?

Approach differently: Attempt to use left hand or adjust angle, height of work area, use devices designed

to make task easier

Are any of the following tasks challenging or the cause of pain?

1. Opening Jars

Yes

2. Opening medicine and vitamin containers (containers where one must push down and then turn

to open)

Yes

3. Mixing and stirring

Yes

4. Lifting / putting away items

Yes

5. Cutting

Paring with knife and using scissors is painful

6. Eating with utensils

No

7. Tasks involving clenching or pinching

Yes

8. Washing pots, pans, or hands

No, warmth of water is soothing

Figure B4: Listening Guide for Cora Sturgill

Figure B5: Listening Guide for Cora Sturgill

Figure B6: Listening Guide for Molly Schroeder

APPENDIX C

Team Charter

IBE Group 3 Team Contract SP 2016

Purpose:

The purpose for forming this team is to work together to develop a product that secures

independence within the kitchen for those with arthritis. The product should be applicable for

those with arthritis yet also can be used universally. In the following document, roles,

procedures, and expectations are outlined to create a positive and successful team atmosphere

throughout the entire spring semester.

Team Members and Degrees:

Nora Myer-Computer Science and Engineering

Justin Monte-Mechanical Engineering

Tony Mango-Biomedical Engineering

Wes Terveer- Business, Undecided

Kyle Lescoezec- Finance

Description of Company Roles:

CEO- Nora Myer

Responsible for team management, team structure organization, and

communication both within the team and between the Board

Makes the final decision when there is a dispute

Sustains day-to-day operations and decisions to maintain semester-long goal

Delegates tasks for optimal efficiency

Responsible for understanding necessary team direction and setting strategy for

success

Creating team culture

VP of Engineering-Justin Monte

Responsible for analyzing and confirming the product design.

Incorporates user wants and needs to final product

Leads and encourages creative design and thinking among team members

Develops technical solutions to maximize efficiency across all departments

Designates and oversees partial SolidWorks design projects

VP of Manufacturing-Tony Mango

Responsible for designing and confirming the most optimal and cost efficient

packaging design.

Director of planning and 3D printing implementation, and manufacturing.

Responsible for possible patent protection.

Leader of distribution and safety of the product.

VP of Marketing-Wes Terveer

Responsible for identifying customer and user segments, as well as the optimal

and secondary market

Major influence in guiding decisions surrounding the customer profile and user

characterization

Identifies and weighs user wants and needs

CFO/VP of Human Resources- Kyle LeScoezec

Responsible for figuring out how to maximize revenue of the product

Major influence deciding what the team's $250 is spent on

Responsible for resolving conflicts between team members

Leader of managing costs and revenue streams

Description of Project Roles:

Project Leader-Nora Myer

The purpose of the project leader is to organize and ensure the on-time and

successful completion of the project throughout the semester. Making sure

communication and organization are present is key.

Product design and documentation leader - Tony Mango

The product design and documentation leader will be responsible for

spearheading the design thought process as well as creating prototypes. This

leader will ensure all ideas are accounted for as well as implementing them into

the final product. This person will mediate discrepancy between group member's

designs and document all proposed ideas. This person will also be responsible in

checking over all documented reports and submissions prior to the deadline to

ensure professionalism and correctness.

Lead Interviewing Manager - Wes Terveer

The lead interviewing manager will be responsible for collecting and ensuring the

accurate collection of all necessary interview data. This person will keep all

interviewing material in safe keeping and will be responsible for making over-

arching conclusions from the interview results if necessary.

Leader of Brainstorming Sessions - Kyle LeScoezec

The Leader of Brainstorming Sessions is responsible for having an agenda of

what to discuss. During a brainstorming session, the leader will keep track of who

has voiced ideas to ensure all team members have a chance to participate. The

Brainstorming leader will search through ideas after the brainstorming session and

make sure that the best ideas are discussed further.

Documentation Specialist - Justin Monte

The documentation specialist will review all team materials before sending them

to the Buckeye Box Manager for final submission. In addition to proof reading for

grammatical errors, the specialist will ensure that all the documents align with the

main purpose of the assignment and accurately portrays the team's intent.

Buckeye Box Manager-Nora Myer

The Buckeye Box Manager is responsible for ensuring that each and every

document is turned into the Carmen drop box on time.

Team Meeting Leader and Scribe-All

Responsibility for team meetings and scribing will rotate between members.

During a team meeting, the leader will engage conversation to achieve desired

goal or position by end of meeting, and the leader will conclude when the meeting

is satisfactory and can end. The scribe will make note of any important ideas or

conversations.

Business Model Generator-Kyle Lescoezec

The Business Model Generator will work with each department to develop a plan

to distribute the final product to market. In addition, the generator will follow the

ideas and concepts discussed in Business Model Generation, though they will

encourage creativity and thinking differently than what is presented in the book.

Project Administration:

a. Weekly Meetings

Responsibility for weekly meetings will rotate between all team members.

Meetings will occur at 5pm on Thursdays over Carmen Connect until roughly

6pm. Communication will be kept a priority. b. Conflict Management

VP of Human Resources will intervene when necessary. If a serious conflict

breaks out, all persons involved will meet in person with VP of Human Resources

and CEO to discuss resolution. The problem should be resolved as quickly as

possible within reason in order to prevent any loss of productivity. c. Decision making between departments

Final decision will be made by CEO after team discussions. Compromises will

first be attempted between departments before involving CEO decision, though.

Decision making will be fact/stat based and not on emotion. Communication is

key to proper decision-making on this team. d. Statement of Commitment

I, Justin Monte, hereby agree to abide by everything listed and described in this

document. I commit to fulfilling my roles for the team.

I, Nora Myer, hereby agree to abide by everything listed and described in this document.

I commit to fulfilling my roles for the team.

I, Tony Mango, hereby agree to abide by everything listed and described in this

document. I commit to fulfilling my roles for the team.

I, Wes Terveer, hereby agree to abide by everything listed and described in this

document. I commit to fulfilling my roles for the team.

I, Kyle Lescoezec, hereby agree to abide by everything listed and described in this

document. I commit to fulfilling my roles for the team.

Signature Block:

Nora Myer

Justin Monte

Kyle Lescoezec

Wes Terveer

Tony Mango