Electrical Design Project 2 – (EE-595)
Team 4 – Easy Jar Closer
Final Report
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I. Introduction
Team Members:
• Zubair Imtiaz - (Electrical Engineering)
• Michael Rogers - (Computer Engineering)
• Nicholas Garcia - (Computer Engineering)
Abstract:
The Easy Jar Closer is meant to assist people with limited hand mobility. Its purpose is to
close jars with no more physical input from the user than simply a flip of a switch. This product is
ideal for individuals and a must keep household item, designed for minimal stress and ideal for use
by potentially millions of customers with limited manual ability to close the lid of the jars. The
extremely powerful rotating curvature handles grips the lid of the jar from both sides while another
handle grips the base to avoid movement and closes the jar smoothly with a clockwise rotation. The
product is also designed for resiliency to check errors for incorrectly mounted caps.
(Fig 1)
(Fig 2)
(Fig 3)
Have you ever been in a situation where you felt helpless just because the lid on your favorite
peanut butter jar is too tight for you to open it easily (Fig 1-3)? Have your kids ever been late to
school because their favorite Nutella spread Jar was way too tight for you to open in time? This
problem lies in almost many of the household items that are covered by lids and preventive caps. Our
team jointly came up with this idea after interviewing some residents at Cerebral Palsy Research
Foundation (CPRF) and noticed the dire need for such a product which can benefit them in many
possible ways. One of the resident quoted “It would be great to have a device in the kitchen that
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would close the bottles and jars for me as I am not always able to grip tight enough to do so.” So we
researched about products that can do the task. Unfortunately, there were only can opener in the
market that were available but none which can help them close the jars. The team came up with a
plan to reverse engineer an already existing product and modify it in a way that it can perform
desirable task. We also looked in to these products but the results were very poor. As compared to
other products in market, the jar closer is one of its kind, assembled with capacitors and an OPAMP
which are embedded in to a user friendly design. Not only it is designed for a specific individual but it
is useful for everyone in the family, young or old, the jar closer works flawlessly and gets the job
done.
Final Design (Fig 4):
(Fig 4)
Video Demonstration:
For the Video demonstration, visit the product website at
http://cratel.wichita.edu/blogs/eecsfinalreportfall2013easyjaropenercloser/
Or visit the YouTube Link at
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vCTIJ_gSgAY
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II. Specifications (Table 1):
(Table 1)
Dimensions/Weight:
Top View: (6″x 2.5″) (Fig 5)
(Fig 5)
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Side View: (3.5″x 2.5″) (Fig 6)
(Fig 6)
Bottom View: (Jar lid of about 4″ in Diameter) (Fig 7)
(Fig 7)
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
Conditions of Operation:
Do not use with plastic jars. The product works very well with glass jars.
Make sure the device sits proportionally on the lid to avoid slipping.
Firmly hold the Can Closer from the top when the lid is being closed.
Ideal for normal house temperature.
Use the device in dry conditions. This product is not water resistant.
Jar closer will close the jars with lid sizes between 1.5 and 4 inches in diameter.
Standards:
1. The International Electro-Technical Commission (IEC) 60730 safety standard.
2. Building Technologies Office (BTO) sets minimum energy conservation standards.
3. Voluntary ENERGY STAR® program.
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III. User Manual
Parts and Features: (Fig 8)
Operation:
(Fig 8)
Step 1. Place the jar whose lid you want to close on a table. Make sure the lid is adjusted properly.
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(Fig 9)
Step 2. Turn ON the power button to start the device. (Fig 9)
(Fig 10)
Step 3. Press the reset button (Red Button) so the inner arms can move outward so the Jar Opener
can easily fit on top of the jar. (Fig 10) Once the inner arms are lose the gears will stop rotating. (As
shown in the picture below) (Fig 11)
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(Fig 11)
(Fig 12)
Step 4. Mount the Jar Opener on top of the jar. Make sure the Jar Opener is placed evenly on all
corners and both the arms are stretched to maximum capacity. (Fig 12)
(Fig 13)
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Step 5. Press the Jar Closer (Black) button. (Fig 13) The gears start rotating and the inner arms starts
moving inwards to grab the lid while the outer arms also move inwards to grab the jar. (Fig 14)
(Fig 14)
(Fig 15)
Step 6. Once the inner arms grab the lid tightly, it starts turning the lid in a clockwise direction (enough
torque is provided by the motors to turn it). (Fig 15) Once the maximum value of current is reached,
the relay changes the direction of the current, hence the motor starts turning in the opposite direction
and the arms starts stretching back again to their maximum value. (Fig 16)
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(Fig 16)
(Fig 17)
Step 7. Press the Power OFF button so the battery does not drains off once you are done. Carefully
take the Jar opener off from the jar. The lid is closed tightly. Check the lid to make sure the job is
done right. (Fig 17)
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(Fig 18)
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Troubleshooting:
How to replace the batteries:
(Fig 19)
Step 1. The battery apartment can be seen directly from the top part of the Jar closer. (Fig 19)
(Fig 20)
(Fig 21)
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Step 2. Use a screw driver (Fig 20 & 21) to open the two screws drilled in to the top compartment of
the Jar Closer.
(Fig 22)
Step 3. Carefully remove the top part to access battery compartment. (Fig 22)
(Fig 23)
Step 4. Take the batteries out from the compartment. (Fig 23)
(Fig 24)
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Step 5. Install 2 new AA batteries in to the compartment in a similar position as before. (Fig 24)
(Fig 25)
Step 6. Put the lid back on top and then put the screws back in the holes. (Fig 25)
(Fig 26)
Step 7. Use the screw driver again and make sure the screws are gently installed so the lid does not
come off. The batteries are successfully replaced. (Fig 26)
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Troubleshooting Methods: (Table 2)
Problem
Jar Closer does not
work
Solution


Check the batteries if they are in correct position. If batteries are weak, replace them
with a new set.
Double check ON/OFF button to make sure the device is ON.
Outer/Inner arms do
not clamp tightly

The diameter of the lid/jar is too small to be closed by the jar. (min diameter of lid = 1.5
(inches))
Outer/Inner arms do
not open enough to fit
on jar

The diameter of the lid/jar is too big to be closed by the jar. (max diameter of lid = 4
(inches))
Outer/Inner arms slips
on the jar/lid


Make sure the lid is dry. Wipe lid clean and dry.
The Jar Closer is not properly placed on top of the jar. Hit the reset button and adjust the
position.
The inner arms stops
in outermost position
perpendicular to inner
arms

Rotate the inner arms manually to the original position once you are done using it.

Use the reset button if the lid is rotating unevenly. Once the arms stretches to the
outermost position, remove the can closer and make sure the lid is properly placed in
right position. Try the Jar closer once again.
Incorrectly mounted
lid. The lid is not
closed properly
(Table 2)
Maintenance:
The maintenance the product is not a lot but make sure the product is clean and use it carefully when
in operation with a liquid item.
Some of the maintenance tips to consider:
1. Clean the inner/outer arms of the device with a piece of cloth periodically.
2. Clean the Plexiglas from time to time to make sure there is not dust build up.
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IV. Theory of Operation:
How the Product Works:
Our product will secure a jar lid tight enough so that it will not spoil or leak. After placing the jar closer
on top of your chosen jar, push the big red button. This is the on and off switch for the circuit. Without
this button the circuit will be continuously on and the 9V battery would drain down over time. After
pushing the big red button, push the black button. This will start the clamps tightening. After the
clamps are secure on the body of the jar the inner jaws will begin to rotate clockwise to tighten the
lid. The chip on the board is monitoring the current load and when a predetermined number is reached
the jaws will stop. It then proceeds to automatically loosen the jaws and the clamps so you can remove
the jar. There are two relays in the circuit that switch the motor for the loosening and tightening of
the jaws and clamps. If at any time during the operation something becomes wrong or the lid is not
going on properly you can push the red button. It will stop the tightening of the mechanism and will
loosen it so you can get fix the problem and start over again. If the product is stored in the most
compact position, press “Reset Button” first to open arms wide enough to place over jar lid. Then
press “Jar Closer” button to tighten arms around jar to close the lid.
Scenario for Use:
The product is meant for people who have hand-gripping issues and cannot always get the jar lid on
tight enough to avoid spilling or the food going bad. It can be for people who have injured their hand
and just cannot get the lid tight enough. Or possibly it could be for someone older who just does not
have the strength in their hands that they used to. Many times if something is not sealed properly air
will get into the jar it and it will be contaminated. This can be costly to replace the food time after
time. Also in another situation you could have forgotten that the last time you used the jar you did
not get the jar on tight enough. The next time you go to pick it up, the lid falls off and the product
inside go everywhere causing a mess. With our product you will not have either of these issues
anymore.
Protocols and Standards Used:
The International Electro-technical Commission (IEC) 60730 safety standards can be used for testing
and diagnostic purposes to help facilitate safety of embedded devices in household applications.
The IEC 60730 can be put into three main groups.



Class A: Not intended to be relied upon for the safety of the equipment
Class B: To prevent unsafe operation of the controlled equipment
Class C: To prevent special hazards
We would want our device to meet the regulations in group B. The IEC 60730 encourages testing
main parts of the embedded system at regular intervals. These tests can help ensure customer
satisfaction, reliability, and most importantly safety.
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Another important standard that can be implemented is energy efficiency. The Building Technologies
Office (BTO) is instrumental in setting the standards for 50+ categories of appliances and equipment.
It would be a goal of our product to achieve the voluntary ENERGY STAR® program. To achieve this
rating testing must be done in conjunction with the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA).
Unique Features:
Our product is unique in several ways. Most importantly our device is unique in the fact that is
automatically closes jars lids. After searching the market for some time nothing has seen that is quite
like ours. All the user must do it turn it on and place on top of the jar and push the go button.
Another unique feature of our product is the auto shutoff feature. The product will determine when
the lid is tight enough and will shut itself off and reverse the motor. This is a common issue in some
of the other jar devices we tested. They do not have an automatic shutoff. The other products would
just keep running till the customer manually shuts them off.
Benefits:
A user would benefit physically and financially from our product. Physically because the product will
help customers more ergonomically close jars so as to relieve stress on their hands. This can have
long terms effects and in the will help customers and enable them to live a more pain free life.
Financially because the jar closer will help close jar lids tighter than then they would have normally
have been able to. This will help prevent spills and accidents from loose lids. Tighter lids will also help
the contents inside stay fresher longer.
Alternative Solutions:
During our design process we came up with many different prototypes and designs for our product.
(Fig 27) During the first semester we had hoped to be able to design a free standing product that
was able to both open and close products.(Fig 28) We spent the first semester working on this
product and had prototype that hardily worked. For the second semester we spent a substantial
amount of time redesigning our product. We were able to take an existing product that simply
opened jars and we modified and enhanced it.
(Fig 27)
(Fig 28)
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V. Technical Description:
Assembly Drawings:
The pictures below gives you a clear idea how the project was elaborated to further stages.
Step 1) The Inner arms were reversed so instead of opening the jars, the device close the lids. (Fig
29)
(Fig 29)
Step 2) The Gears and motor are installed which helps rotates both the arms.(Fig 30)
(Fig 30)
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Step 3) A Rubber sheet was applied to curvatures for friction and strength. (Fig 31)
(Fig 31)
Step 4) A PCB chip was created with all the components wired to each other. (Fig 32)
(Fig 32)
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Step 5) A Battery compartment was created along with a top rectangular part that was screwed in to
the device.(Fig 33 & 34)
(Fig 33)
(Fig 34)
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Step 6) The Batteries were installed and the chip PCB chip was screwed to the top part of the device.
The sides were also screwed to make sure easy replacements of the batteries after they run out. (Fig
35)
(Fig 35)
Step 7) The Product was checked for any hindrance with each component after being screwed together
and here is how the final design looks like. (Fig 36)
(Fig 36)
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Schematics:
The Printed Circuit Board was designed using the software Eagle (Fig 37 & 38) and the schematics
are shown in the pictures below.
(Fig 37)
(Fig 38)
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Code:
To check the code, go to the following link on the product website. Scroll down and click Code. A
.docx file will be downloaded which contains the code for the ATTINY84.
http://cratel.wichita.edu/blogs/eecsfinalreportfall2013easyjaropenercloser/v-technical-description/

The Arduino IDE was used to write and upload the code to our ATTINY84.
Parts List: (Table 3)
Quantity
Part Description
Supplier
Price/Unit
1
Hamilton Beach Open Ease Automatic Jar
Opener
Amazon
14.50
1
Push-Button SPST W/Red LED
RadioShack
2.99
2
P/B NO Switch
RadioShack
1.00
2
5VDC/1A SPDT Micro Relay
RadioShack
4.99
2
AA Battery
RadioShack
0.75
1
9Volt Battery
RadioShack
3.00
1
ATTINY84
Amazon
6.02
6
Resistors
RadioShack
.25
3
Capacitor 110UF
RadioShack
1.05
1
5V Regulator
RadioShack
5.52
1
OPAMP
Amazon
.35
1
AA Battery Holder
RadioShack
2.49
1
9 Volt Battery Holder and battery clip
RadioShack
4.48
1
⅛ Acrylic Sheet
Home Depot
20.00
(Table 3) Total Approximate Cost to replicate project: $75.35
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VI. Usability Study:
Introduction:
The Easy Jar closer was specifically chosen as our Senior Design project considering a dire need of
such a product which was not available in the market. The idea was brought up by many residents at
Cerebral Palsy Research Foundation (CPRF) that they had a lot of trouble with the tightly mounted
lids on jars and it is really hard for them to open as well as close them. So our team researched and
we figured out that there were products in market that can open the lids but none which can close
them. That was the point when we decided to help solve this problem for these residents using our
Engineering background and knowledge and make this as our Senior Design Project. The Easy Jar
Closer is meant to assist people with limited hand mobility. Its purpose to close jars with no more
physical input from the user than simply a flip of a switch. The extremely powerful rotating curvature
handles grips the lid of the jar from both sides while another handle grips the base to avoid movement
and closes the jar smoothly with a clockwise rotation.
There are three factors that helped us evaluate the testing of this device:
1. Does the product helps solve the signified problems of the Residents/Other people considering
their hand mobility?
2. Are they going to use the product as part of their daily routine?
3. Does the device truly work and close the jars?
The significance of successful result is the answer YES to all the above questions. So far the responses
from the participants were very close to consider this Project/Testing as successful. We used the Q &
A methodology to help us evaluate the usability of this product.
Methodology and Participants:
We conducted two very similar evaluations from different participants. The response were taken from
a resident at CPRF, Sherry Rose (we had close interaction with this resident throughout the project)
and other responses were evaluated by the visitors on our table at the exploration place and surveying
random people on campus.
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Participant: Sherry Rose(Fig 39)
(Fig 39)
1. Date of study: 12th February 2013 (Pre Questionnaire), 26th November 2013 (Post
Questionnaire)
2. # of participants: 1
3. How were participants chosen: We were specifically working with sherry on this project
4. What were the participants told? She was asked about the helpfulness of the product in her
life. How can she benefit from the product along with a demonstration of the device.
5. How were participants’ responses evaluated? The responses were jotted down in Q & A format
which can be read below.
Concept Test Questions: (Pre-Questionnaire)
1) Are there any problems you encounter throughout the day that you wish there was a solution to?
A: Many times I have difficulties opening and closing bottles or jars. My grip strength isn’t good
enough to be able to open/close many lids on the jar.
Multiple residents responded similarly:
It would be great to have a device in the kitchen that would open and close bottles and jars for me
as I am not always able to grip tight enough to do so.
2) How many times in a day would you use this product?
A: Frequently, 2-3 times
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3) Does this product give you an improvement in quality of life?
A: Yes
4) Do you think the price of the competitor’s product is too high, low, or justified?
A: Consumer thought the existing product was priced okay but would be willing to pay up to 100 for
a product with the features she needed.
5) Are there people other than CPRF residents that could benefit from this product?
A: Yes, elderly with extreme grip strength issues.
6) What alternatives to this product are you currently using, if any?
A: Just the Black and Decker product but not using it anymore.
7) Is this an improvement on your existing solution to the problem?
A: Yes, the closing feature and the increased capacity
8) What type of lids do you have difficulty with?
A: The gallon milk jug/Nutella Jars.
9) What are the must haves for this product?
A: Open/Close lids on the jar. Possible battery operation.
Evaluation Questions: (Post-Questionnaire)
1) What type of lids do you have difficulty with?
A: Any kind of jars
2) How many times in a day would you use this product?
A: 4-5 times. Now that I know I have this product I will use it A lot.
3) Does this product benefits you?
A: Yes. I just Love it.
4) Future Perspective of the device?
A: Open/Close in the same unit. Mounted in to a frame so I don’t have to lift it up. Make it a box
and put the mechanism on top of it so I can just put the jar in the device and it will do the rest of
the job.
5) Do you like the user Interface?
A: Reduce it down two buttons; power button and open/close button. Too many buttons are
confusing for me. Other than that you can label the buttons. Make the power button glow so I have
the idea if it is ON/OFF.
6) What is your feedback/How do you evaluate this product?
A: I like it and it works great. THIS PRODUCT IS SWEET. Make it open/close at the same time.
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Participant: (Survey with Random People)
1. Date of study: 23rd November 2013 (Exploration Place for Post Questionnaire)
2. # of participants: 20
3. How were participants chosen: Some of the participants were the visitors who showed up at our table
at the Exploration Place. (Our project was an attraction for the older people who were very excited to
see the product work.) Other participants were randomly chosen people on Campus.
4. What were the participants told? The team walked each participant through the training and
demonstration of the product. Then they were asked if they have a similar problem due to less mobility
and how this product will help them in their daily routine. The participants were also told about the
website that has the theory of operation if they want to check back on how the device works.
5. How were participants’ responses evaluated? The responses were jotted down in Q & A format which
can be read below.
Training and Procedures:
A one to one working demonstration of how the product was given to each participant. The first thing
we told them was this product is only design to close the lid on the jar. A jar opener which is available
in market was also demonstrated which they can use to open the lids after they have closed them.
The participant were explained every minute detail of the procedure and they were told about the
“Theory of Operation” page which has operation steps with proper images. The demonstration
includes the mounting of the device, walking them through the process of each button, the mechanics
of the device, the process to change batteries which is also listed as a troubleshooting step in the
website along with the images, the approximate time for the device to close the lid and the arms to
go back to their stretch position before the user can take off the device from the top of the lid,
demonstration of why the reset button is included, the participant was allowed to hold the device in
their hands to check for the weight of the device. The participants’ responses were noted down and
later were asked to provide their feedback whether they will want to use a similar product or they
want to see such a product in their kitchen.
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Results:
The results were jotted down from the total of 21 participants (Including Sherry Rose) and they are
displayed as below in a chart. (Table 4 & 5)
(Table 4)
(Table 5)
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Reflection:
These are the areas where further implementation on this project can be proposed and if a future
team wants to work and elaborate this project, these areas will be the ones where the work should
be done for a chance of improvement.





Out of 21 recipients who were asked about the Usability of this device, 5 answered that they want
to see improvement in the device. The suggestion they proposed was to make this device close lids
of any size. Currently Lid sizes between 1.5 inches to 4 inches can work. Milk jars have small lids that
are very tightly mounted were the favorite choice of most of the participants and they want to see the
device close lid of milk jugs. Also plastic bottle lids were the second favorite.
Out of 21 recipients who were asked about the Effortless of this device, 6 answered that they want
to see improvement in the device. The further suggestion was instead of mounting the device on to
the lid on the jar, a platform with a solid base is to be created so that the jar whose lid is to be closed
can be put underneath the platform and with a push of button the lid is closed.
Out of 21 recipients who were asked about the Portability of this device, 2 answered that they want
to see improvement in the device. According to them, the Jar closer was a bit heavy for them to lift
up so instead of using the Plexiglas as the top material, use plastic similar to the Jar Opener device.
Out of 21 recipients who were asked about the User Interface of this device, 5 answered that they
want to see improvement in the device. They suggested to use less buttons (Reduce three to two
buttons). They wanted to get rid of reset button and have the algorithm check for the Reset. Some
also suggested to have the ON/OFF button glow when the device is ON. The buttons were also to be
labelled for easy handling of the device. An LCD that tells the user wait time before they can take the
device off from the lid.
Out of 21 recipients who were asked about the Functionality of this device, 9 answered that they
want to see improvement in the device. Almost all of those participants wants the device to OPEN as
well as CLOSE the lid. Even if the device cost them $100, they were willing to keep at as a household
item in their kitchen for daily use. “It’s better for me if this works both ways. I don’t have to carry two
separate devices.” A participant responded. Other functions included, open lid of all kinds and sizes of
the jars.
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VII. Historical Perspective:
What Work Preceded the Project?
Unfortunately, there were no similar products in market with the capability of closing the lid of the jars.
There were only jar opener in the market that were available but none which can help close the lids. That is
why this product is one of its own kind with a couple of unique features which the other "Jar Openers" do
not have. Now when we talk about a device with very less user input we do not consider devices in picture
that requires a lot of strength or input from user such as following.( Fig 40 & 41)
(Fig 40)
(Fig 41)
(Fig 42)
Most of these products have been tested by the participants themselves and according to them, they
require a lot of physical input and strength.
What Work Motivated the Project?
The idea was brought up by many residents at Cerebral Palsy Research Foundation (CPRF) that they had a
lot of trouble with the tightly mounted lids on jars and it is really hard for them to open as well as close
them. Therefore the team came up with the plan to reverse engineer an already existing product and modify
it in a way that it can perform desirable task. Also the team wanted to do something new to help these
residents with our engineering skills that we learned in the 3-4 years of our Degree Plan. The ideas was
shared with our Instructor John Harrison for Senior Design 1 class as well as Thomas McGuire and they
second the idea. So we looked in to some of the products online by Black and Decker and planned use them
with a lot of variations in our project. Here are some of the products we looked in to and found them
interesting to pursue.
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Project Transformation from First Semester to
Second Semester:
In our Senior Design 1 class, we were working on a device that had the capability of Opening/Closing the
lid of the jars. Later we realized that it was not viable for a product to carry out this task on all sorts of
jars/bottles/cans because every product is designed uniquely with different sets of factors. Therefore after
meeting with our Senior Design 2 instructor Dr. Steven Skinner we narrowed down our options for the
kinds/sizes of jars. Our Senior Design Project had a couple of mechanical issues therefore we dropped the
idea that the device must carry out both tasks. After meeting with Sherry Rose (CPRF Resident), who had
trouble closing the jars (She had the Black and Decker Product that helped her opening the lids) we worked
on a device that can carry out a task with very minimum user input and which has no mechanical
issues/failures.
Here is the how the product was changed in to a smaller sized and very portable over the two semesters
(many visitors at our table in the exploration place asked us about the Senior Design Project 1 equipment
because even in the first semester we had a lot of people taking interest in the functionality of the product)
(Fig 43)
(Fig 44)
Also the complete Timeline and Prototypes can be found/read on the following links.
For Senior Design 1 (585):
Click the link below and navigate to the Submissions on the left pane.
http://cratel.wichita.edu/blogs/eecsseniordesignspring2013fall2013/
For Senior Design 2 (595):
http://cratel.wichita.edu/blogs/eecsfinalreportfall2013easyjaropenercloser/category/project-history/
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VIII. Business Viability:
Patent Research and Other Similar Products: (Table 6)
(Table 6)
Liability Concerns:
There are no health issues involved in the usage of the product. The Jar Closer is designed safely with
proper testing at each level of the Prototype. Each part is closely intact to the other part so there are
very minute chances of breakdown. The only physical input involved is to hold the device and mount
it on top of the lid. If the product does not sit comfortably on the lid, remove it and put it on a stable
surface. The product will tighten the lids in a safe and reliable way for the consumer without a chance
of lid being loosen to spill the item in the jar and tight enough that the food does not spoil. Other than
that no liability concerns are involved.
Certifications:
No certifications is required to operate this device. The Easy Jar Closer is very user friendly. The Easy
user Interface allows the consumer to operate the device in a very precise manner.
NOTE: For further questions about the operation of the device, check the User Manual.
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IX. Future Work:
With the evolution of new scientific methods each and every day, the life of people has changed a lot.
Nevertheless, these scientific discoveries have made the life easier for us with latest technologies and
equipment. Just like everything is evolutionary and need improvement from time to time, the Easy Jar
closer also requires few changes to make it a standalone product in market. After a few sessions of
brainstorming and review from the applicants we interviewed, here are some of the features that can
be added in to this product by a future team working on this project.
1. The Easy Jar closer must have the capability to Open as well as Close the jars in a same unit.
(Top favorite by the Applicants)
2. Open/Close lids of any size (Small/Big) and kind of jars (Plastic/Glass/Milk Jugs).
3. Instead of mounting the device on to the lid on the jar, a platform with a solid base is to be
created so that the jar whose lid is to be opened/closed can be put underneath the platform.
4. Use lighter Material on the top part of the Jar so it is easy for them to hold and mount it.
5. Reduce the number of button on the Easy Jar Closer (Maximum of 2). One ON/OFF button and
the OPEN/CLOSE button.
6. Label the buttons for easy handling of the device.
7. Use an LCD which signifies the wait time and the current operation of the device.
8. The light on the on/off switch could be wired to indicate whether it is on or not.
9. Get rid of the RESET button and put a section of code in the Algorithm to automatically reset the
device if any errors occur.
10. Add sensors to the device, so that the maximum Torque is applied. This will help to avoid the
jaws getting broken.
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X. Contract and Schedule:
The following is the contract that the team agreed upon in the start of the Fall2013 semester by the
Easy Jar Closer Team.
Contract:
EECS Senior Design Fall 2013
Project Contract
Group Name: Group 4
Project Name: Easy Jar Closer
Team Members: Nicholas Garcia, Zubair Imtiaz, and Michael Rogers
Specific functions the product will provide for the customer:
-Product will tighten the lids of the customer’s jars so food does not go bad or spill out.
-Product will tighten peanut butter, salsa and jelly jars.
-The customer will be able to operate the product in a safe and reliable way.
-The product will include electrical sensors to help assist the customer with use of the product.
Product Testing:
-The product will be tested by closing various different types of jars ranging from 2 inches to 4 inches.
-The customer will be given the product to test and provide us with feedback relating to usability and
helpfulness.
-The closing of the jars will be demonstrated at Exploration place
-Data collected from testing the torque and force of which is applied to the jar will be shown.
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Schedule: (Table 7 & 8)
(Table 7)
(Table 8)