A container construction
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Solution Overview
Problem
Beverage bottles fail to maintain a cold temperature effectively, leading to undesirable ice formation and sugar migration in compartments, causing discomfort and safety issues during consumption.
Innovation Solution
A bottle design with upper and lower compartments connected by a waist portion that can be temporarily deformed to create a pinch point, isolating the lower compartment and preventing convection circulation, allowing quicker freezing and maintaining the upper compartment at a comfortable temperature.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Temperature
If the bottle is frozen to maintain cold temperature, then the beverage stays cold longer, but ice chunks form and may damage teeth or cause choking
Solution Approach 1:
The bottle is divided into an upper compartment and a lower compartment separated by a waist portion. The lower compartment is designed to be frozen while the upper compartment remains accessible for consumption. This segmentation isolates the frozen portion from the consumption area, eliminating the hazard of ice chunks entering the consumer's mouth while maintaining the cooling benefit.
2Temperature
If the lower compartment is frozen, then the beverage stays cold, but sugar migrates to the upper compartment making it overly sweet
Solution Approach 1:
The waist portion is pre-designed with a constricted passage that limits fluid flow between compartments before freezing occurs. This preliminary structural constraint prevents sugar migration during the freezing process, ensuring that when the lower compartment is frozen, sugars remain trapped in the lower compartment rather than migrating to the upper compartment.
3Temperature
If the upper compartment is cooled along with the lower compartment, then the entire beverage is cold, but it becomes too cold for comfortable consumption
Solution Approach 1:
The bottle design enables different temperature zones within the same container. The lower compartment can be frozen to a low temperature while the upper compartment is cooled to a milder, more comfortable temperature. This local differentiation of thermal properties allows the consumer to drink from the upper compartment at a comfortable temperature while the lower compartment remains frozen for extended cooling.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
The solution effectively prevents ice formation in the upper compartment, maintains a comfortable drinking temperature, and minimizes sugar migration, enhancing consumer safety and satisfaction.
Implementation Method 1
the waist portion and/or lower compartment is configured to be temporarily deformed upon application of a vertically applied force to bring the raised punt into contact with the waist portion
Implementation Method 2
isolating the lower compartment and preventing convection circulation
Implementation Method 3
the lower compartment is frozen by being placed on a specifically configured freezing shelf
Implementation Method 4
the lower compartment is frozen by being placed on a specifically configured freezing shelf such as that described in PCT Publication No. WO2015/160266
Data Source
Figure 1
Figure 2A~2B
Figure 3
AI summary
The invention is a bottle or container for a beverage, which is configured with an upper and lower compartment connected by a waist portion that defines a passage therebetween. Through the use of an appropriately configured freezing shelf, the beverage held in the lower compartment can be frozen at point of sale. The bottle is specifically configured to, upon activation, create a pinch point between the waist portion of the bottle and the punt of the lower compartment. This pinch point is achieved through controlled deformation of part of the lower compartment and/or waist portion of the bottle and effectively seals the lower compartment, and its contents, from the upper compartment, or at the very least significantly restricts the passage between the two compartments. Convection circulation between the two compartments is prevented or at least hindered. The isolation of the lower compartment from the upper compartment by virtue of the pinch point may leads to quicker crystallization and ice formation. The invention is advantageous it means that the beverage contained in the upper compartment can be held at a higher temperature and thus is easier to consume at the time of purchase and allowing some time for the beverage in the lower compartment to melt and in due course become consumable.