Single-Arm Jar Opener

Primary Skills Developed:

• 3D Modeling

• Mechanical Design

• Static Structural Analysis

My Team and I designed a single-arm jar opener to compete in the 2021 Delve Design Competition. Our device was made for those who have lost the use of one of their arms but can still use the other. Our target demographic included individuals in a cast, amputees, and stroke survivors. To make our project intuitive and easy to use, we chose to design our single-arm jar opener such that it mimics the natural movements of opening a jar with two hands. To open a jar normally, one hand is placed on the jar to keep it fixed and the other hand simultaneously pushes the jar into the counter and twists the top off. Our product mirrors this motion, taking the place of the hand that immobilizes the jar. When the jar is pushed into the rubber center platform, the rubber clamps that protrude from the side of the opener will push into the jar, immobilizing it by the friction force between the rubber and the glass jar. The harder that someone pushes into the platform, the more fixed the jar becomes, and the easier it is to twist on the lid. The end result is a simple and intuitive device that makes twisting off a jar lid effortless and easy.