The Triz Journal | April 26, 2016
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trizjournal | On 18, Feb 2002
Assessing The Accuracy Of The Contradiction Matrix For Recent Mechanical Inventions
Darrell Mann
Industrial Fellow, University of Bath
Bath, BA2 7AY, UK
Phone: +44 (1225) 826465
Fax: +44 (1225) 826928
E-mail: D.L.Mann@bath.ac.uk
Introduction
While some parts of the TRIZ community might debate the value of the Contradiction Matrix (Reference 1, 2) as a problem-solving tool, it is undoubtedly an attractive concept to both users and newcomers. A large part of the dis-satisfaction with the Matrix seems actually to stem from the fact that it is out of date rather than conceptually incorrect, and that to update it would require a lot of effort that might be better spent elsewhere.
A previous article (Reference 3) included the following figure as a way of highlighting the extent of the problems associated with the current classic Matrix. Or rather, due to its lack of quantified data, suggested the extent of the problems.
Figure 1: Relative Efficacy of Contradiction Matrix For Different Problem Types
This article reports a brief study conducted by 32 final year engineering and design undergraduates at the University of Bath to calibrate the Matrix against a cluster of recent mechanically-oriented inventions.
Method
The study was conducted by allowing students to select a random set of patents from the US and European patent databases, the only criteria being that the patents should describe an essentially mechanical-based system and that the patent should have been granted in the last ten and preferably five years. No other selection criteria were formally applied, although there was an overall suggested direction towards picking inventions that were ‘interesting’ in some form or other – this usually meant a solution featuring some kind of ‘wow’ moment. Each student was tasked with identifying four patents for analysis – and hence the total dataset for analysis comprised over 130 different inventions.
For each patent, the student was required to identify what aspects of a design the inventor was seeking to improve, what parameters these aspects conflicted with, and how the inventor overcame the conflict. In broad terms, these elements can be extracted from the background, summary and claims sections of the invention disclosure text. For each patent, the student was required to cut and paste the relevant section of text, show how it mapped onto the terms of the Matrix, and show if/how the inventive step related to one or more of the Inventive Principles. There was no instruction to distill either conflict parameters or Inventive Principles down to a ‘best one’; if the inventor solved more than one conflict, or if the conflict was blurred across several parameters, or if more than one Principle was used, the student was asked to record all of the information.
Below is an example of the type of analysis conducted for each patent:
Figure 2: Exemplar Patent – US6,230,788
From the patent text…..
Applying labels to flat mail items quickly and reliably poses a problem in the processing of flat mail items,
A device of the above-outlined type is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 5,200,007.
It is the object of the present invention to provide a device for applying labels to flat mail items, wherein the
According to the invention, this object is accomplished by the features of claim 1. Advantageous embodiments
A notable advantage of the invention is a high flexibility in the positioning of the labels on the mail items, and
….the student is required to pick out the conflicting parameters….
….see what the classic Matrix recommends as its ‘top 4 most likely’….
Matrix recommends:- Parameter Changes, Prior Action, Curvature
….and then pick out the Inventive Principles actually used by the inventor….
Siemens used:- Prior Action, Feedback
….and so, in this case, we are able to record a partial match between Matrix and what the inventor used. Thus, in terms of quantifying the ‘success’ of the classical Matrix, this invention scores one out of two – i.e. two Principles were used; the Matrix suggested one of them.
The total success rate of the Matrix was then calculated by summing all the Principles contained in the Matrix used by each inventor, and dividing that total by the sum of every Principle used in each of the patents under evaluation.
Throughout the exercise – carried out over a period of two weeks – students were also asked to pay attention to either conflict parameters or inventive strategies that did not fit into the existing Matrix/Inventive Principle framework.
Results
The following table summarises the analyses for each of the patents successfully analysed. In order to ensure consistency of analysis across each patent, this author has monitored each one individually. The table provides patent number, title, improving parameter(s), worsening parameter(s), Inventive Principles recommended by the classic Matrix, and Inventive Principles used by the inventor. Anyone wishing to see the specific analysis for any of the patents in question may request a copy from the author. Alternatively, you may like to conduct a few analyses for yourself to see if you agree with the diagnoses presented here.
Patent Number | Short Title | Improving Parameter | Worsening Parameter | Matrix Recommendation | Inventor Used.. |
4923041 | Liquid Friction Coupling Blade | 10 | 13 3 | 35,10,21 17,19,9,36 | 35, 17, 4 |
4966257 | Shock Absorbing Damper | 10 | 5 | 19,10,15 | 15 |
5473723 | Optical Fibre Sheath | 33 | 24 | 4,10,27,22 | 3 |
5485307 | Binoculars | 35 | 12 | 15,37,1,8 | 1 |
5485359 | Remote control Holder | 18 | 19 | 32,1,19 | 25 |
5485360 | Miniature Flashlight | 11 | 13 31 | 35,33,2,40 2,33,27,18 | 24,23 |
5493544 | Noble Metal Watch Case | 26 2 | 14 | 14,35,34,10 28,2,27,10 | 2,35 |
5493551 | Disk Loading Apparatus | 33 | 36 | 32,26,12,17 | 17 |
5493578 | Ash Melting Furnace | 26 | 22 | 7,18,25 | 25 |
5493580 | Recycling Filter Dust | 23 | 22 | 35,27,2,31 | 1,35,31 |
5540495 | Injection Assembly | 8 | 36 10 | 1,31 2,18,37 | 31,17 |
5543179 | Head Treatment Device | 30 | 14 | 35,18,37,1 | 16,10, 1 |
5543179 | Evaluating Pummelled Glass | 37 | 18 | 2,24,26 | 32,23 |
5544090 | Removal of Entities from Textiles | 30 | 15 26 | 22,15,33,28 35,33,29,31 | 29,23, 1 |
5568961 | Tubular Seat Frame | 14 | 1 | 1,8,15,40 | 1,15 |
5569009 | Loosening Prevention Screw | 27 | 36 | 13,35,1 | 1 |
5569282 | Retractable Surgical Knife | 31 | 33 | – | 7 |
5570342 | Disk Cartridge | 5 | 36 | 14,1,13 | 1 |
5650591 | Waterproof Casing | 31 | 17 | 22,35,2,24 | 31 |
5650983 | PCB Magnetic Head | 8 2 | 24 | – 10,15,35 | 5 |
5650990 | Mini-Disc Tray | 10 19 | 13 | 35,10,21 19,13,17,24 | 15 |
5651055 | Digital Secretary | 33 38 | 24 | 4,10,27,22 35,33 | 10,28 |
5666803 | Vectored Thrust Compressor | 31 12 | 36 32 | 19, 1, 31 1,32,17,28 | 1,17 |
5666937 | Repeat-Fire Pellet Rifle | 27 | 36 7 | 1,13,35 3,10,14,24 | 10,13 |
5667294 | Strip Sport Light | 33 | 35 | 15,34,1,16 | 15,1 |
5668542 | Aircraft Cockpit Display | 31 33 | 36 | 1,19,31 12,17,26,32 | 1,32 |
5680467 | Hearing Aid | 28 | 13 | 32,35,13 | 35 |
5680468 | Automotive Speaker Equalisation | 16 | 33 | 1 | 1 |
5694827 | Cushioned Unloading Cycle for Truck | 15 | 9 | 3,35,5 | 3,35,5 |
5724415 | Coin Deflector for Telephone | 7 | 5 | 1,7,4,17 | 17 |
5724478 | Liquid Heater Assembly | 22 | 6 | 17,7,30,18 | 1,17 |
5724625 | Belt_Driven Shutters | 9 | 11 | 6,18,38,40 | 6,1 |
5724663 | Carphone Connected to Audio Unit | 31 33 | 35 | – 15,34,1,16 | 5 |
5746360 | Coat Hanger Bag | 7 | 31 | 17,2,40,1 | 2,30 |
5772623 | Easy Removal Bandage | 33 | 31 15 | – 29,3,8,25 | 3,17,5 |
5790028 | Anti-Robbery Handbag | 27 24 | 36 21 | 13,35,1 10,19 | 10,24 |
5810078 | Control of Vehicle Interiors | 17 | 28 | 3,10,19,35 | 10 |
5815984 | Casement Window Operator | 33 | 13 10 | 32,35,30 28,13,35 | 13,24,4 |
5824184 | Peel-off Backing for Adhesive Tape | 33 | 3 | 1,17,13,12 | 3 |
5899166 | Boat Hull Protector | 33 | 7 | 1,16,35,15 | 35,30 |
5900705 | Bicycle Motor Control | 33 | 31 | – | 13,5 |
5900819 | Drowsy Driver Detector | 30 | 33 3 | 2,25,28,39 17,1,39,4 | 1,5,35 |
5900821 | Rain Sensor System | 32 | 35 | 2,13,15 | 2 |
5924704 | Foot Supporting Roller | 15 | 36 27 | 10,4,29,15 11,2,13 | 15 |
5992588 | Suitcase | 10 | 3 | 17,19,9,36 | 17 |
5999869 | Electric Power Steering | 31 | 15 | 15,22,33,31 | 23 |
6003407 | Motorcycle Toe-Shift Seal | 27 | 36 | 13,35,1 | 7,24 |
6050219 | Animal Milking Apparatus | 15 | 25 | 20,10,28,18 | 20,23 |
6053646 | Ergonomic Computer Input Device | 31 10 | 9 | 35,28,3,21 1,28,3,25 | 28 |
6053805 | Dust Free Sander | 26 | 36 | 13,35,1 | 13,3,5 |
6065555 | Power Assisted Wheelbarrow | 19 | 22 | 12,22,15,24 | 23 |
6084576 | User Friendly Keyboard | 33 | 5 | 1,17,13,16 | 1,13 |
6098208 | Protective Baseball Pads | 5 | 1 | 2,17,29,4 | 14,30 |
6099018 | Snowboard Binding | 31 | 12 | 35,1 | 1,17 |
6099150 | Bicycle Brake Light | 33 | 15 | 29,3,8,25 | 40 |
6099658 | Pool Cleaner | 9 | 31 | 2,24,35,21 | 24 |
6157887 | Brake System | 36 | 32 | 27,26,1,13 | 26,1,28 |
6166359 | Induction Heating for Pipe Welds | 17 | 22 | 21,17,35,38 | 1,28 |
6176374 | Sensitive Component Container | 11 | 14 | 9,18,3,40 | 9,3 |
6179727 | Dual Radius Putter | 35 | 36 | 15,29,37,28 | 4,20 |
6182299 | Baseball Chest Protector | 14 | 33 17 | 2,28,32,40 30,10,40 | 2,3, 40 |
6203313 | Reconfigurable Candle | 35 | 14 | 35,3,32,6 | 1,35 |
6204482 | Cooling a Toaster Oven | 17 22 | 31 | 22,35,2,24 21,17,35,38 | 1,30 |
6220333 | Bar Code Stencil | 24 | 27 | 10,28,23 | 17,28,13 |
6213258 | Auto-Compensating Drum Brake | 4 16 | 8 | 35,8,2,14 35,34,38 | 1,15,35 |
6216864 | Golf Club Holder | 31 | 36 | 19,1,31 | 31,1,35 |
6223658 | Weighted Paintball | 31 | 35 | – | 1,30 |
6227989 | Line Marking System | 16 33 | 31 | 1,17,40,33 2,25,28,39 | 17,10, 24,31 |
6239337 | Shoulder Rest for Musical Instrument | 35 | 31 | – | 35 |
6256886 | Device for Cutting Vegetation | 31 1 | 36 | 19,1,31 26,30,36,34 | 15,28 |
6257009 | Ice Dispenser | 39 | 17 23 | 35,21,28,10 28,10,35,23 | 35,23 |
6260276 | Adjustable Length Clipper | 35 | 36 | 15,29,37,28 | 15,6 |
6272687 | Needle-Proof Gloves | 14 | 33 | 32,40,25,2 | 3,40,15 |
6279720 | Coin Handling Mechanism | 27 | 30 | 2,27,35,40 | 2 |
6283549 | Adjustable Office Chair | 35 | 13 | 35,30,14 |
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