Breadbasket Movable Window Flap Spillage Prevention

Resolve Bottlenecks,
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions

Solution Overview

Problem

Existing breadbasket shipping containers allow easy consumer access but suffer from product spillage during transport, leading to damage and increased costs for producers and grocers.

Innovation Solution

A breadbasket design featuring a base, sidewalls, and walls with a movable window flap or bail arm that can be closed during shipping to prevent spillage, allowing easy access when open, and additional stacking support features to prevent sliding.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Ease of operation

If a window is added to the sidewall for consumer access, then consumers can access baked products without moving containers, but baked goods slide out during transport and fall to the floor

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveconsumer access to baked productsVSAvoidproduct containment during transport

Core Design Contradiction:

Ease of operationVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

The patent applies a movable flap mechanism that can dynamically change its state between open (for consumer access) and closed (for transport containment). The flap is hinged to the container wall and can be positioned in different orientations to serve different functions during different phases of use.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #15Dynamics

Solution Approach 2:

The patent modifies only the specific area where consumer access is needed by adding a localized flap mechanism to the sidewall, rather than making the entire container structure different. The flap creates a controlled opening that maintains the integrity of the rest of the container during transport.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #3Local quality

2Ease of operation

If employees move empty storage containers from the stack, then consumers can access baked goods in lower containers, but employees are kept busy with this task

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveconsumer access to lower containersVSAvoidemployee time spent moving containers

Core Design Contradiction:

Ease of operationVSProductivity

Solution Approach 1:

The patent enables consumers to independently access baked products in any container level by opening the flap on the container they wish to access. The container design allows consumers to serve themselves without requiring employee intervention to move or reposition containers.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #25Self-service

3Productivity

If consumers move empty containers themselves, then employees are freed from this task, but shipping containers are strewn about the floor

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveemployee availability for other tasksVSAvoidcontainer arrangement on floor

Core Design Contradiction:

ProductivityVSStability of the object's composition

Solution Approach 1:

Inventive Principle:

Principle #25Self-service

Data Source

PatentUS9296516B2Breadbasket with merchandiser window and flaps

Publication Date: 2016.03.29 ORBIS CANADA

AI summary

A basket for shipping and displaying of baked products, wherein the basket comprises several features that substantially inhibit or reduce lateral motion, as well frontward and rearwards motion. Similar baskets can be stacked in a 0°, 90° or 180° configuration, and in the 0° and 180°, an upper basket can pivot and slide about a lower basket. Preferably, three window flaps are provided in one or more merchandising windows of the basket to allow consumers to retrieve baked product from an interior portion of the basket. The window flaps can moved from an open position to provide customers access to the tray, to a closed position to substantially inhibit or prevent product spillage when being transported or stored.