One Touch.
The bottle cap of instant adhesives, such as Feviqwik, Loctite, and Anabond, often gets sealed in place after being capped, making it difficult for users to reopen and use the adhesive again. This issue not only causes frustration but also leads to waste of time and resources. Additionally, attempts to force the bottle open can result in dangerous accidents and spillage, posing safety risks.
Clogging on nozzle
Design an instant adhesive bottle that improves the overall experince of using the product for design/architecture students, DIY entusiasts, and hobbyists.
Most users got adhesive on their fingers after they had applied it where required and held the bottle upright.
Liquid collected at the flat tip of the nozzle and dripped down onto fingers and the threads.
The bottles got harder to open and close with usage.
Activity analysis.
Users Mental Model
Most users wrongly believe applying a large amount of adhesive will result in better bonding.
The bottle is not considered reliable to be carried inside a bag or pocket.
Users feel squeezing bottle will push out more liquid.
What is in the bottle?
Cyanoacrylate glue is the industrial name for instant adhesives. They can only bond with a surface when there is moisture present. When applied on materieals like metal, plastic, or leather, they absorb moisture from the air to bond. They bond skin especially fast by absorbing oils present. Few drops of cyanoacrylate bond better than applying more liquid because they allow effective polymerization with moisture and ensure a stronger, faster-setting bond. Excess glue can lead to incomplete curing and weaker joints. They have an average shelf life of one year from the date of manufacturing.
Existing Products and Benchmarking
I studied and compared the bottles of popular instant adhesives to identify the pros and cons of different approaches to the bottle design. I also studied other liquid dispensing bottles.
Some of the bottles studied.
The tip of Loctite Super Glue (left) is narrow and tapered at the tip while Fevikwik 203 (middle) is flat and wide.
The Fevikwik 203 bottle (left) has an inner needle to break clogs, while the Loctite bottle (right) features a pointed tip on the outside.
Other similar products and solutions.
I started by examining how various everyday materials bonded with instant adhesives. I then did an experiment to determine whether using an internally tapered tip instead of a wide, flat tip could reduce adhesive dripping down the bottle's neck by minimizing the surface area for adhesive to collect after application.
The tips of two packs of juice were modified using plastic clay. Adhesive was then passed through the packs.
Result for flat tip.
Result for tapered tip.
Small nozzle attachments were 3D printed to identify the ideal angle for the incline. Most users were observed to impulsively use the inclined tips to spread out the liquid after application.
Attachments on nozzle.
Vertical cross section of the prototypes.
User Testing.
The next set of prototypes featured a gutter around the nozzle to contain drips and a narrow, inward-edged tip for better flow control. Adhesive dispenses only upon squeezing, preventing leaks even when inverted.
First gutter prototype and vertical cross-section.
Additional prototype attachments.
Vertical cross section of additional prototype attachments. These designs were based on designs of eye droppers.
Some form ideation sketches.
Soft form models.
User testing. Adjustments were made taking ergonomics and comfort into consideration.
I started by examining how various everyday materials bonded with instant adhesives. I then did an experiment to determine whether using an internally tapered tip instead of a wide, flat tip could reduce adhesive dripping down the bottle's neck by minimizing the surface area for adhesive to collect after application.
Dimensions.
Final prototype.
Product poster.