Bottle with Flattened Support Surface for Safe Additive Insertion

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Solution Overview

Problem

Existing kitchen and catering appliances face challenges in stability, ease of handling, and safe operation, particularly when using solid additives for cleaning processes.

Innovation Solution

A bottle designed for inserting into kitchen and catering appliances, filled with solid water-soluble additives, features a flattened support surface for easy handling and orientation, ensuring correct insertion and safe operation, with a unique geometry to prevent misplacement and enhance safety.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Ease of operation

If a conventional bottle shape is used, then the bottle is simple to manufacture, but the bottle is difficult to handle and may be misplaced

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveease of handlingVSAvoidsimplicity of manufacture
Core Design Contradiction:
Ease of operationVSEase of manufacture

Solution Approach 1:

The bottle features an asymmetric flattened support surface on its lateral side, creating a unique geometric shape that is easy to grip and orient. This asymmetric design allows the bottle to be easily handled and correctly positioned in the receptacle, while still being manufacturable using standard molding techniques.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #4Asymmetry

2Reliability

If a conventional bottle shape is used, then the bottle is simple to manufacture, but the bottle may be inserted incorrectly into the appliance

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvesafe operationVSAvoidsimplicity of manufacture
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSEase of manufacture

Solution Approach 1:

The flattened support surface creates an asymmetric geometry that ensures the bottle can only be inserted into the receptacle in the correct orientation. The receptacle is designed with a corresponding asymmetric receiving geometry that matches the bottle's support surface, preventing incorrect insertion and ensuring safe operation.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #4Asymmetry

3Ease of operation

If the bottle lacks a support surface, then the bottle geometry is simpler, but the bottle is difficult to handle and orient

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveease of handlingVSAvoidbottle geometry complexity
Core Design Contradiction:
Ease of operationVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The bottle features a localized flattened support surface on a specific portion of its lateral side, rather than changing the entire bottle geometry. This local modification provides easy handling and orientation features while keeping the rest of the bottle geometry simple and manufacturable.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #3Local quality

Data Source

PatentEP4614071A1Bottle for insertion into a kitchen and/or gastronomic device, kitchen and/or gastronomic device and an assembly
Publication Date: 2025.09.10 WELBILT DEUTSCHLAND GMBH
  • EP4614071A1 patent drawingFigure 1~2
  • EP4614071A1 patent drawingFigure 3
  • EP4614071A1 patent drawingFigure 4~5

AI summary

The invention relates to a bottle (1) for insertion into a kitchen and/or catering appliance, wherein the bottle is filled with a water-soluble additive, in particular a cleaner, descaler or rinse aid, wherein the additive is solid, wherein the bottle comprises a base (2), an opening (3) opposite the base (2) and a lateral surface (4), wherein the lateral surface (4) extends from the base (2) to the opening (3) and wherein a bottle length (5) is defined from the base (2) to the opening (3), wherein the bottle (1) has a support region (6) along the bottle length (5), wherein the lateral surface (4) has a flattened support surface (7) in the entire support region (6), wherein the support region (6) extends over at least one third of the bottle length (5).