Arm-Mounted Plate Runner for Vertical Stacking and Ergonomic Carrying
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Solution Overview
Problem
Wait staff in restaurants face ergonomic and navigational challenges when carrying multiple heavy plates due to cumbersome and wide plate carrying racks, which can lead to fatigue, injury, and obstacles in busy environments.
Innovation Solution
A plate runner device with an elongated body that attaches to the user's upper arm, featuring plate clamps that securely hold plates close to the body, allowing for efficient navigation and reducing the risk of dropping plates, with various attachment methods such as armpit retention, elastic sleeves, and different clamp mechanisms like spring-loaded and snap-together designs.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Quantity of substance
If plates are arranged concentrically around a handle in a plate carrying rack, then multiple plates can be carried simultaneously, but the rack becomes wide and requires the user to hold it well out to the side, causing poor ergonomics and user fatigue
Solution Approach 1:
The patent transitions from horizontal plate arrangement (around a handle) to vertical plate stacking (one on top of another). This dimensional change allows plates to be carried close to the body without extending arms outward, resolving the ergonomic issue while maintaining multi-plate carrying capacity
Solution Approach 2:
The device nests multiple plates vertically within a compact structure that attaches to the user's arm. The plates are stacked one inside another or one on top of another in a nested configuration, allowing multiple plates to occupy a small spatial footprint close to the body
2Quantity of substance
If a large tray is loaded with heavy plates of food, then multiple plates can be transported, but the tray becomes cumbersome and wide, frequently causing drops
Solution Approach 1:
The invention changes from horizontal tray layout to vertical stacking arrangement. This dimensional transformation reduces the horizontal footprint and width of the carrying device, making it less cumbersome and more stable, thereby reducing dropping frequency
Solution Approach 2:
The device uses a flexible or rigid structural body that conforms to the arm and provides stable support for vertically stacked plates. This structure is more stable than a wide tray and keeps plates secured close to the body, preventing drops
3Quantity of substance
If the user carries two plate carrying racks, one in each hand, then more plates can be carried, but the user becomes a wide obstacle in a busy restaurant environment
Solution Approach 1:
The patent employs vertical stacking of plates on each arm, which maximizes the use of vertical space rather than horizontal space. This allows the user to carry more plates while maintaining a narrow profile, reducing the user's footprint in the restaurant environment
Solution Approach 2:
The device is designed to be worn on the arm rather than held in the hand, allowing natural arm movement and positioning. This dynamic wearing configuration enables close-to-body plate carrying that adapts to the user's movements, minimizing the obstacle profile
Data Source
AI summary
A plate runner device includes an elongated device body configured to be attached to an upper arm of a user and at least one plate clamp attached to the device body. The plate clamp is configured to secure a dinner plate to the plate runner device. The device can include an upper retention portion at an upper end of the device body and a forearm rest at a lower end of the device body.