Beverage Pull Tab with Reservoir for Edible Material Dispensing

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Solution Overview

Problem

Beverage containers, such as aluminum cans, lack flexibility in customization, as they cannot be easily modified to mix different drinks or add substances like salt, requiring separate production runs for each variation.

Innovation Solution

A pull tab with a reservoir and sealing element is integrated into the lid of the beverage container, allowing users to selectively dispense edible materials, such as flavorings or dry substances, into the container by manipulating the pull tab and sealing element, enabling customization of the beverage.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Productivity

If a beverage container is designed as a sealed aluminum can for efficient manufacturing and transport, then productivity and manufacturing efficiency are improved, but the ability to customize or mix beverages is lost

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvemanufacturing efficiencyVSAvoidbeverage customization capability

Core Design Contradiction:

ProductivityVSAdaptability or versatility

Solution Approach 1:

The beverage container system is divided into separate functional components: the sealed aluminum can for beverage storage and the separate pull tab with reservoir for edible material dispensing. This segmentation allows the can to maintain its efficient sealed design while the pull tab provides customization capability without compromising the container's manufacturing efficiency.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

The pull tab is designed as a multi-functional component that serves both as an opening mechanism for the beverage container and as a dispensing device for edible materials. This universal design allows a single component to provide both access to the beverage and customization options, resolving the contradiction between simple sealed design and customization capability.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #6Universality (Multi-functionality)

2Reliability

If separate production runs are used for different beverage variations, then product quality and consistency are maintained, but manufacturing complexity and time are increased

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvebeverage quality consistencyVSAvoidproduction process complexity

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The edible materials are pre-packaged in the pull tab reservoir during the initial manufacturing process. This preliminary preparation allows the main beverage production to remain simple and consistent while the customization materials are ready for immediate dispensing, eliminating the need for separate production runs for different variations.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #10Preliminary action

3Adaptability or versatility

If a pull tab with reservoir is added to the beverage container lid, then beverage customization capability is improved, but device complexity increases

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvebeverage customization capabilityVSAvoidcontainer structure complexity

Core Design Contradiction:

Adaptability or versatilityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The pull tab integrates multiple functions into a single component: it serves as the opening mechanism for the beverage, contains the reservoir for edible materials, and provides the dispensing function. This merging of functions reduces the number of separate parts needed and simplifies the overall structure while maintaining customization capability.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #5Merging (Combining)

Solution Approach 2:

The reservoir is nested within the pull tab structure, with the pull tab itself attached to the container lid. This nested arrangement allows the edible material storage and dispensing functionality to be incorporated without adding significant external complexity to the container design.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #7Nested doll (Nesting)

4Reliability

If the reservoir is sealed to prevent contamination, then food safety is improved, but the ease of dispensing edible material is reduced

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvefood safetyVSAvoidedible material dispensing ease

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSEase of operation

Solution Approach 1:

The sealing element is extracted as a separate, removable component from the reservoir structure. This allows the reservoir to remain sealed for food safety during storage and transport, while the sealing element can be easily removed or manipulated to enable dispensing of the edible material when needed.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #2Taking out (Extraction)

Solution Approach 2:

The sealing element is designed to be dynamically controllable, allowing it to transition between a sealed state (for food safety) and an open state (for dispensing). This dynamic characteristic enables the system to maintain food safety during storage while allowing easy dispensing when the user activates the pull tab mechanism.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #15Dynamics

Data Source

PatentUS11840383B2Edible material dispensing tab for beverage

Publication Date: 2023.12.12 PETERSON RUSS LYNN

AI summary

A can-top reservoir attached to a lid of a beverage container is provided. The pull tab is used for opening a beverage container and dispensing edible material into the beverage container. The pull tab comprises a reservoir for storing an edible material, different than the beverage container. The reservoir is provided with a sealing element which when manipulated to selectively dispense the edible material from the reservoir to the mouth of the beverage container via an egress of the reservoir.