Beverage-Supported Food Box for One-Hand Take-Out Carrying
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing food containers for take-out or to-go items are cumbersome, hard to carry, and lack convenience when multiple items or condiments are needed, especially in situations without a table, and they often require significant storage space and assembly time.
Innovation Solution
A beverage-supported food box that can be assembled in one step from a single flat form piece, featuring a beverage holder that supports both food and beverage, with optional condiment, dipping sauce, or additional food item storage, and is compostable, stackable, and BPI certified.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If traditional cartons or boxes are used for take-out food, then food containment is achieved, but the boxes become cumbersome, hard to hold, and hard to carry
Solution Approach 1:
The patent combines multiple functions into a single integrated structure: the food box includes an integrated beverage holder, condiment holder, and food compartment all in one unit. This merging of previously separate components (food container, beverage container, condiment containers) into a single unified box structure reduces the number of separate items a customer must carry while maintaining all necessary functions.
Solution Approach 2:
The food box is designed as a multi-functional device that simultaneously serves as a food container, beverage holder, condiment storage, and carrying device. The single box structure performs multiple roles that traditionally required separate containers, making it a universal solution for take-out food service that eliminates the need for multiple separate items.
2Adaptability or versatility
If multiple food items, beverages, and condiments are provided in separate containers, then complete service is achieved, but table space is consumed and carrying becomes difficult
Solution Approach 1:
The patent integrates food compartments, beverage holder, and condiment containers into a single unified box structure. This consolidation of multiple previously separate service items into one integrated unit provides complete food service functionality while eliminating the need for multiple separate containers that would consume table space.
Solution Approach 2:
The single food box performs multiple functions simultaneously: it holds food, beverages, and condiments while also serving as the carrying device. This multi-functionality ensures complete service provision without requiring additional separate containers, thereby saving table space.
3Ease of manufacture
If traditional food cartons are used, then food containment is provided, but assembly time and vendor workload increase
Solution Approach 1:
The food box is pre-assembled during manufacturing into a ready-to-use configuration with all components (food compartments, beverage holder, condiment containers) already integrated. This preliminary assembly eliminates the need for vendors to perform time-consuming assembly operations at the point of service, allowing them to simply pick up and use the pre-configured box.
Solution Approach 2:
The box is designed with modular segmented compartments for food, beverages, and condiments that are pre-integrated during manufacturing. This segmentation allows for efficient production through specialized machinery while maintaining the simplicity of the final assembled product, reducing vendor assembly time.
4Object-affected harmful factors
If compostable materials are used for the food box, then environmental sustainability is improved, but manufacturing cost may increase
Solution Approach 1:
The food box utilizes composite material construction, combining paperboard with plant-based coatings and biodegradable adhesives to create a fully compostable structure. This composite approach maintains the functional properties needed for food service while ensuring environmental sustainability through compostability, balancing eco-friendly goals with manufacturing feasibility.
Data Source
AI summary
The present disclosure is drawn to improved food service boxes that in one embodiment is a beverage supported food box that enables a user to hold a beverage and food item with one hand. Alternately the beverage supported food box may be supported by the beverage that is placed in a beverage holder. Further, the food box may serve as a makeshift table when the beverage is placed in a cup holder. This device solves the problem of balancing multiple food and beverage items when no table is present. The food box may further comprise a condiment, or dipping sauce, holder, other food container, and/or utensil holder. The improved food service boxes can be made from a compostable material, shipped flat for reduced shipping costs, be compact for shipping and storing, have one-step food vendor assembly, and improved end-user experience.