Brewing Cup Stacking Lugs to Prevent Wedging During Separation
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Solution Overview
Problem
One-cup beverage brewing systems face challenges in efficiently stacking and separating cups during shipment and assembly, leading to potential wedging issues due to lack of adequate separation mechanisms.
Innovation Solution
The use of teardrop-shaped stacking lugs and a lug-support rim in the cup design allows for a minimum separation distance between stacked cups, preventing wedging and facilitating easy separation and assembly, while also optimizing material usage through a thermoforming process.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Productivity
If cups are stacked tightly for shipment to save space, then shipping efficiency is improved, but cups become wedged or stuck in nested positions making separation difficult
Solution Approach 1:
The patent incorporates stacking lugs and lug-support rims into the cup structure before shipment, which preliminarily establish a minimum separation distance between stacked cups. This preliminary structural arrangement prevents wedging from occurring during storage and transport, enabling both tight stacking for efficiency and easy separation when needed.
Solution Approach 2:
The stacking lugs and lug-support rims act as intermediary structural elements between stacked cups. These features mediate the interaction between cups by maintaining a controlled separation distance, preventing direct contact that would cause wedging while still allowing compact stacking.
2Ease of operation
If separation mechanisms are added to prevent wedging, then ease of separation is improved, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The stacking lugs and lug-support rims serve multiple functions: they enable compact stacking for shipping efficiency, maintain minimum separation distance to prevent wedging, and facilitate easy separation. By combining these functions into a single structural feature, the patent avoids adding separate complex separation mechanisms.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent merges the stacking function and separation function into a single integrated structural system. The stacking lugs and lug-support rims simultaneously enable tight stacking and prevent wedging, eliminating the need for separate complex separation mechanisms.
3Reliability
If material is added to create separation features, then wedging prevention is improved, but material usage increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent segments the cup wall structure to incorporate stacking lugs and lug-support rims as distinct features. This segmentation allows the separation function to be integrated into the existing cup structure rather than adding separate components, minimizing additional material usage while maintaining reliability.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
The solution ensures easy stacking and separation of cups during shipment and assembly, preventing wedging and reducing material usage, thus enhancing manufacturing efficiency and product usability.
Implementation Method 1
the bowl is formed of a plastics material using a thermoforming process to include a series of teardrop-shaped stacking lugs in an upper portion of the bowl side wall
Data Source
AI summary
A beverage brewing package includes a cup and a filter bag. The filter bag is supported in an interior region formed in the cup.