Plastic Cake Support Tube With Internal Ridges for Heavy Tier Loads
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional wooden dowels used for supporting multi-tiered cakes are difficult to cut, pose safety hazards due to splinters, require large diameters that reduce cake volume and create unsightly holes, and can be hard to locate during disassembly.
Innovation Solution
A plastic cake support tube with a raised internal profile, made of brightly colored plastic, that can be easily cut with scissors and supports heavy loads without bending, ensuring safety and visibility during disassembly.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Strength
If wooden dowels are used to support multi-tiered cakes, then the cakes can be supported vertically, but the dowels are difficult to cut and require special tools
Solution Approach 1:
The patent changes the material parameter from wood to plastic, which fundamentally alters the cutting properties. Plastic can be easily cut with scissors or utility knives, eliminating the need for saws and sanding equipment while maintaining sufficient structural strength for cake support.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent employs disposable plastic straws that are inexpensive and single-use. These straws are designed to be discarded after one use, eliminating the need for cleaning, sanitizing, or repeated processing. This approach reduces labor time and costs associated with preparing and maintaining reusable wooden dowels.
2Strength
If wooden dowels are used to support multi-tiered cakes, then the cakes can be supported vertically, but the dowels can splinter and create safety hazards
Solution Approach 1:
The patent changes the material parameter from wood to plastic, which eliminates the splintering problem inherent in wooden dowels. Plastic straws have smooth surfaces and do not splinter when cut or under load, removing the safety hazard while maintaining adequate structural support for cake tiers.
3Strength
If large diameter wooden dowels are used to support larger cakes, then the vertical load can be supported, but the amount of cake available decreases and unsightly holes are left
Solution Approach 1:
The patent changes the material parameter from wood to plastic, which fundamentally alters the strength-to-diameter ratio. Plastic straws can be made with much smaller diameters while maintaining sufficient structural strength, thereby preserving more cake volume and leaving smaller, less noticeable holes when the support is removed.
4Strength
If wooden dowels are used to support multi-tiered cakes, then the cakes can be supported vertically, but the dowels are hard to locate when disassembling
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies color changes by using brightly colored plastic straws (such as neon or fluorescent colors) that contrast with the typical cake colors. This makes the support straws easily visible during assembly and disassembly, allowing bakers to quickly locate and remove them without difficulty, while the colored straws can also be replaced with clear or matching-color straws if aesthetics are a concern.
5Reliability
If plastic dowels are used to support multi-tiered cakes, then the material is sanitary and easy to clean, but a large diameter is required to be strong enough
Solution Approach 1:
The patent changes the structural parameter by using a hollow tubular geometry with optimized wall thickness and potentially internal reinforcement structures. This allows plastic straws to achieve the necessary vertical load-bearing capacity with smaller outer diameters, resolving the contradiction between maintaining sanitary properties and achieving sufficient strength.
Data Source
AI summary
A support tube (1) for use as an internal support for multi-tiered cakes (9). The support tube has a raised internal profile (7) comprised of raised ridges (8) located on an inner surface (5) of a perimeter wall (4). The raised internal profile strengthens the perimeter wall of the support tube, thereby allowing the support tube to support large weights of multi-tiered cakes when placed in a vertical position inside a multi-tiered cake.