Team JSA

Project Proposal
3/23/11
Jonathan Brunk
Steven Lehr
Adam Dalo

Executive Summary
The objective of this project is to create an automatic jar opener that is designed to aid people
with limited mobility in their hands. The product will mechanically grip the jar and apply torque
to twist off the lid. This proposal lays out the steps taken to achieve this goal. The team used
customer surveys and weighted decision matrices to define the needs that must be addressed.
These needs include ease of use, minimal user force, and variable size capacity. After evaluating
each potential concept against these design criteria, a concept was selected that can best solve the
problem. The concept that the team selected for further testing and refinement is a system that
transfers torque provided by a drill motor to the jar. A hollowed out pyramid, guided by a track,
is lowered on top of the jar’s lid. The inside of the pyramid is lined with rubber to provide
adequate friction. On the bottom of the device, the jar rests on a device called an oil filter
wrench. A motor is used to tighten the oil filer wrench, thereby gripping the body of the jar as it
spins the jar. With the jar held firmly in place by the pyramid, the device will twist off the lid of
the jar. With both pieces working together the lid is removed – with minimal input from the user.
Table of Contents Page
1.0 Introduction……………………………………................................. 1
1.1 Initial Problem Statement
1.2 Product Proposal
2.0 Customer Needs and Specifications…….……………….………… 2
2.1 Gathering Customer Input
2.2 Weighting of Customer needs
3.0 Concept Development/Specifications....…………………..……….. 3
3.1 External Search
3.2 Problem Decomposition
3.3 Description of Alt. Design Concepts
3.4 Concept Selection
4.0 System Level Design………………………………………...……… 7
4.1 Gripping the Lid
4.2 Gripping and Twisting the Jar
4.3 Components
5.0 Conclusion………………………………………………….……….. 9
6.0 References……………………………………………….………….. 9

Appendix A………………………………………………….……….…. 10
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1. Introduction
In the world of disabilities and diseases, common everyday tasks can become extremely
trivial. Activities as simple as tying a shoelace become impossible feats for people with
disabilities. It should be known that even a perfectly healthy, functioning individual, can
encounter some strife when opening a jar. A member of Team JSA, who is 21 with no health
conditions and in peak physical condition, had trouble opening a jar. For a person that is aging
with arthritis, the ability to remove the same jar lid is inconceivable.

1.1 Initial Problem Statement

Research shows that arthritis and
rheumatic conditions are the leading cause of
disabilities in the US. 43 million adults
nationwide are currently suffering from
arthritis alone. Not only does this disability
affect the elderly but every age group,
including children, is known to suffer from
arthritis (www.uwmcarthritiscare.org). This
is a problem that will continually plague
Americans for years to come especially
during the aging of the baby boomers. Jars
are here today, and they will be here
tomorrow. It is not fair for such a large
demographic of people to have to avoid food
in jars for fear of not being able to twist the
lid off due to their disabilities.

1.2 Product Proposal

Team JSA would like to ask for
Innovation Work’s financial backing in the
making of an automatic jar opening device.
According to our research, your venture company, Innovation Works, is constantly in search of
products with the opportunity to earn a profit and benefit consumers. As aforementioned, the
number of customers available reaches into the forty millions and is expected to grow. Not only
is there clearly a large customer demographic available, but our product is beneficial to the
handicapped and disabled. An Innovation Works logo on a product made to help the differently
abled would provide a tremendous amount of good publicity for your company. This proposal
contains a description of how our product works to benefit the specific audience of people with
arthritis in the hands or comparable conditions of muscular dystrophy.
The following pages contain detailed information concerning the team’s gathering of
customer needs, the team’s tailoring of the customer needs to influence our concept
development, and finally, the team’s selected concept and its design details.
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2. Customer Needs and Specifications

2.1 Gathering Customer Input
The primary method of gathering customer needs for this project was through literature
research. To supplement this research customer interviews were conducted with questions
including: Do you ever have trouble opening jars; Would you invest in an automatic jar opener;
Do you personally know anyone with arthritis; Do you feel that they would benefit greatly from
a product like this; What price range would you pay for this product; Will you please rank the
following in terms of most to least important; Ease of use, Size, Cost, Aesthetics? Through
conducting these interviews the team found that most people do indeed have trouble opening jars
and know people who suffer from arthritis. While only a few said they would purchase an
automatic jar opener for themselves, all said that someone with these disabilities would greatly
benefit from this product. The median range that consumers said they would pay for this product
ranged from $20 to $40. From the interview results we rated the criteria from most to least
important as; ease of use, cost, size, and aesthetics.
Through research of online literature the team found the issues facing people with
arthritis. The most important issue they experience is sharp pain when gripping or grasping an
object. The team also found a website that caters directly to those with arthritis by offering an
array of products focused on meeting their specific needs. On the lines of automatic jar openers,
the site states, “The simplest daily task or household chore is a big deal to someone who has
arthritis in their hands or fingers. Arthritis can make unscrewing jar lids seem like an impossible
dream. “Assistive devices, such as jar and bottle openers, can help make up for weak grip and
lack of hand strength due to arthritis” (www.arthritissupplies.com). The most important need our
product must address is that the user does not have to grip or twist anything to remove the lid.
The device needs to be operated by a switch or button as opposed to the user applying a twisting
force. Through interviews and research, the team found that there is a large market and high
demand for jar openers that are easy to use and moderately priced.
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2.2 Weighting of Customer Needs

In order to properly rank the team’s concept ideas they felt that it was necessary to apply
a weighting system based on the relative importance of each need. This is an important step in
the concept selection process because while one concept may technically have more desired
qualities, those qualities may not be the most important, therefore skewing the ranking results.
In order to create these weights the team used the AHP Pairwise Comparison Chart method as
detailed in the text, with a higher number meaning the criteria is more important. The results are
shown in Table 1. The resulting weights signify that creating a simple design that is easy to
operate is crucial.

Table 1: AHP Pairwise Comparison Chart for Determining Weights

  ease of use manufacturing size cost amputee arthritic total weight

ease of use 1 2 6 3 0.5 0.5 13 0.20
manufacturin
g 0.5 1 4 2 0.33 0.33 8.16 0.124
size 0.17 0.25 1 0.5 0.17 0.17 2.26 0.034
cost 0.33 0.5 2 1 0.17 0.17 4.17 0.064
Use with
limited
mobility 2 3 6 6 1 1 19 0.29
One-handed
use 2 3 6 6 1 1 19 0.29
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3. Concept Development/Specifications
3.1 External Search
In order to determine the concept designs, the team used external research to aid in the
brainstorming and concept generation process. A simple online search was conducted in order to
find if there were any existing products that we could analyze and generate ideas from. Another
method of external research used was a patent search on Google Patents. Team JSA used
benchmarking of existing products and found that there were already many jar opening devices
on the market. Some of these products included the Lids-Off Automatic Jar Opener from Black
and Decker which utilizes an adjustable height option and the ability to remove a lid relying
mostly on friction. This product was priced at $18.79 on Amazon.com. Another similar product
was the One Touch Automatic Jar Opener. This is a hand-held device that uses a motor to apply
torque to the lid while also gripping the jar itself on the sides, priced at $54.99. Through the
patent search the team was able to scan through existing concepts and ensure that the team’s
designs did not infringe upon any existing patents. Throughout the team’s research of existing
products they were able to develop several concepts that utilize specific aspects of each
benchmark product. Some considered patent descriptions can be seen in Appendix A.

3.2 Problem Decomposition

To decompose the team’s problem into simpler individual issues, the team utilized the
black box model method. They decided to include user applied functions, energy, and signal.
The energy is given to the motor from the battery and then applied as mechanical energy to grip
and apply torque to the base of the jar. According to the team’s preferred design, the user places
the jar into the base and then pushes the top of the apparatus down to fit snuggly onto the lid,
holding it in place. The signal is in the form of a button that the user must push and hold in to
initiate the process. The energy supplied to the system will be eliminated at the release of the
button. All of these functions combine to apply torque to the base of the apparatus, gripping and
applying torque to the jar itself while the lid is held firmly in place, ultimately opening the jar.
Table 2: Functional Decomposition: Black Box Model
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3.3 Description of Alternative Design Concepts

Based on the team’s external research they decided that the most important task was to
come up with an efficient way to grip both the jar itself as well as the jar lid. Through
brainstorming, they came up with several jar/lid gripping concepts they could use for further
development. 5
1. Pyramid
-The first concept was a
pyramid shape that could
slip over the lid and
effectively grip any lid
radius up to three inches.
Torque could be applied
directly to the pyramid,
twisting the lid itself, or the
grip could be used to
simply keep the lid
stationary.
2. Triangle
-Another concept idea was
a triangle shaped grip that
the jar lid could slip into
and be held in place firmly.
Torque could then be
applied to this grip in order
to twist the lid off while
two clamps held the sides
of the body of the far in
place.
3. Oil Filter Wrench
-The team’s next concept
was to use an existing oil
filter wrench with torque
applied in order to first grip
the base of the jar and then
twist the jar while the lid
was held stationary,
effectively removing the lid
from the jar.
4. Forceps
-The team’s final concept was using a grip much like forceps that the user could squeeze
to widen the gripping radius, and release in order to clamp it onto the jar lid. A rotating
base would then apply torque to the jar itself while the lid was held stationary by the
forceps. This design will need two hands to function; therefore it is best suited for
arthritic users rather than amputees.

Figure 1: Sketches of initial design concepts.

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3.4 Concept Selection

To rank and select the team’s concept, they used several matrices including a concept
screening matrix and weighted concept scoring matrix with weights determined by the AHP
comparison chart.
Table 3: Concept Screening Matrix

Oil Filter
  Triangle Pyramid Wrench Lids Off (reference) Forceps
criteria          
ease of use + + + 0 +
manufacturing 0 0 + 0 -
size + + + 0 0
cost + + - 0 +
able to use with
limited strength - + + 0 -
sum +'s 3 4 4 0 2
sum 0's 1 1 0 6 1
sum -'s 2 0 1 0 3
net score 1 4 4 0 -1
rank 2 1 1 3 4
Continue? yes combine combine no no

In the concept screening matrix, the team listed the concepts we considered and
compared them to the Lids Off design by Black and Decker. A ‘+’ was used for “better than”, a
‘0’ for “same as”, and a ‘-’ for “worse than” the reference. Through this process the team
decided to discontinue the forceps grip design, continue the triangle concept, and to combine and
continue research on the pyramid and oil filter wrench concepts.
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Table 4: Weighted Concept Scoring Matrix

ease of use manufacturisize cost amputee arthritictotal weight

ease of use 1 2 6 3 0.5 0.5 13 0.1982
manufacturing 0.5 1 4 2 0.33 0.33 8.16 0.1244
size 0.17 0.25 1 0.5 0.17 0.17 2.26 0.0345
cost 0.33 0.5 2 1 0.17 0.17 4.17 0.0636
amputee 2 3 6 6 1 1 19 0.2897
arthritic 2 3 6 6 1 1 19 0.2897
65.59

Lids Off (Reference) Triangle Grip Oil Filter/ Pyramid

criteria weight rating weighted score rating weighted score rating weighted score
ease of use 19.80% 2 0.396 2 0.396 3 0.595

In the concept scoring matrix, the team used the weighted criterion determined in the
AHP chart in order to compute a total score for each concept based on ratings determined for
each individual need. These ratings were then multiplied by the corresponding weight and a total
score was computed for each concept. The concepts were then ranked based on these total
scores. Since the oil filter wrench plus pyramid grip design came out with a score that was
significantly above the others, the team decided that this was the most promising product for
them to develop.

4. System Level Design

4.1 Gripping the lid

The first step of the process was figuring out how to grip the top of the lid and guide it on
top of the jar. Using some of the ideas from the team’s external search, it was decided that a
slight modification to a cone shaped gripping device would suffice. The team’s main concern
with the benchmark product was the awkward shape of a cone would make it hard to attach to a
guidance system as seen in Figure 2 components 9 and 11. The team adapted to these drawbacks
by instead using a pyramid-shaped grasping device with attached guiding parts.

4.2 Gripping and Twisting the Jar

The team decided that the best way to remove the lid of the jar is to hold the lid of the jar
in place and apply torque to the body of the jar. The team’s major issue was figuring out how to
tightly grip and spin the body of the jar simultaneously. Using the concept of a universal oil
filter wrench from the team’s concept selection phase, they conducted research and scoured
stores in search of a wrench with an acceptable size for the variability of the jars. On eBay, the
team discovered a wrench that combined the versatility and locking motion they were searching.
As seen in Figure 2 component 8, the part selected is a two
8 way three jaw oil filter wrench of the
team’s selection. A more detailed view of this oil filter wrench can be seen in Appendix A.

4.3 Components
 Components and their desired functions in the
team’s selected design include the following
(please refer to figure 2 for CAD
representation);
Component 1 ~ Base – wooden
structure assembly to hold gears,
guiding system, and drill accessories.
Component 2 ~ Drill Motor – drill
motor, trigger, and battery scavenged
from a cordless drill.
Component 3 ~ Bearing – the bottom of
the shaft above Component 3 fits snug
into the ball bearing allowing the shaft
to rotate freely.
Component 4 ~ Gear – gear is
proportioned to decrease the amount of
torque and RPMs supplied by the drill.
Component 5 ~ Stepped Shaft –shaft is
directly involved in the spinning of the
oil filter wrench.
Component 6 ~ Gear - fits over
Component 5, will be connected
through a series of gears to the drill
motor.
Component 7 ~ Wrench Insert – square
piece of aluminum that fits in bottom of
oil filter wrench, this part is connected to
the stepped shaft (Component 5).
Component 8 ~ Oil Filter Wrench – analysis and description of the oil filter wrench can
be found in section 4.3.
Component 9 ~ Guiding System – two aluminum shafts for the pyramid to be guided by.
Figure 2: Exploded View of Jar opener
Component 10 ~ Pyramid – analysis of the pyramid structure can be found in section 4.2
Component 11 ~ Caps – caps are intended to keep the pyramid structure from falling off
the top of the device
Component 12 ~ Handle – gripping device to add freedom in raising and lowering the
pyramid.
**A bill of materials, table of engineering specifications and assembled view of components can
be found in Appendix A.
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5. Conclusion
The goal of this project is to design a device catered to people with limited use of their
hands. Based on our research there is a sizable market for this type of product. The basis for the
team’s solution is a motor that turns a central gear which is on a shaft that connects it to the main
system of gears. In the system of gears the shaft turns a central gear which is in contact with
three evenly spaced gears. These gears have arms that bend up, around the jar. On the lid of the
jar, a hollow pyramid shape holds the jar in place. The pyramid’s height is adjustable to
accommodate various size jars. When the pyramid is in place the operator presses the switch to
start the motor. The arms close around the jar. When the resistance from the contact with the
sides of the jar is too great the bottom part spins because of the force of the motor. This motion
twists off the lid of the jar without any torque or gripping force applied by the user. For a person
with arthritis this product is more than just a luxury, it improves their quality of life. Through
further testing and refinement this system will prove to be an easy and effective device for
removing jar lids.

6. References
1."Arthritis Facts and Data." Arthritis Care News & Information. Web. 15 Feb. 2011.

<http://www.uwmcarthritiscare.org/>.

2.“Bottle and Jar Openers to Help People with Arthritis." 

ArthritisSupplies.com™ Products, Aids, Supplies, Utensils, Devices and Tools for Arthritis
Relief.  Web. 15 Feb. 2011. <http://www.arthritissupplies.com/>.

3.Eppinger, Steven D. "Concept Generation, Concept Selection." Product Design and Development.

By Karl T. Ulrich. 4th ed. New York: McGraw-Hill/Irwin, 2008. 97-141. Print.

4."Google Patents." Google. Web. 21 Feb. 2011. <http://www.google.com/patents>.

5."3-Jaw 2-Way Oil Filter Wrench - EBay (item 370487729449 End Time Feb-27-11 17:21:15

PST)." Ebay.com. Tool America. Web. 24 Feb. 2011.

6. "Aluminum Scrap Refining Cycle." Gold-refining.org. E-mac, 25 Mar. 2010. Web. 24 Feb. 2011.
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Appendix A
Team roles
Program Manager – Steven Lehr

 Responsible for completing the project on schedule, continuously monitors and updates
the Gantt chart

Financial Officer – Jonathan Brunk

 Responsible for tracking all expenditures, provides BOM and economic Analyses

Record Keeper – Adam Dalo

 Responsible for maintaining project records and documentation, is the primary point of
contact for all communications with the instructor

Safety Officer – Adam Dalo

 Responsible for the safety of the project

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Figure 3: Patent search results for a cone-shaped jar opener. Note this patent is over
20 years old.
Table 5: Bill of Materials

Comp Component Material Projected Projected

No. Name Weight (lb) Cost ($)
1 Base Wood 2.00 3.50
2 Drill Motor N/A 0.30 5.00
3 Bearing Steel 0.07 1.00
 4 Gear Plastic 0.02 2.00
5 Stepped Shaft Aluminum 0.20 0.24
6 Gear Plastic 0.02 2.00
7 Wrench insert Aluminum 0.10 0.12
8 Oil Filter Wrench Steel 0.30 15.00
9 Guiding System Steel 3.00 0.39
10 Pyramid Aluminum 0.90 1.06
11 Caps Aluminum 0.05 0.06
12 Handle Aluminum 0.50 0.59
Note: Total Weight 7.46 lb.
Cost of wood was projected as cost of a 2x4x5 Total Cost $30.96
Cost of aluminum projected at *$1.18/lb Cost/100K $3100000
Cost of steel was projected at *$0.13/lb
*Values found at www.metalprices.com

Table 6: Estimated Engineering Specifications

Margina Ideal
Metric Units l Value Value
Torque applied by user oz-in 0 0
Torque applied by motor oz-in >75 >125
Weight of adjustable top
section lb <5 <2.5
Maximum jar diameter in 3 3
Minimum jar diameter in 1.5 1
Overall height of device in 24 18
Time needed to remove lid s 30 10
Cost to manufacture US$ <40 <20
Time to assemble parts hr <1 <0.5

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 Figure 4: Disassembled
to Assembled View of
Jar Opener

14

Gantt Chart: