Cardboard Folding Box With Triangular Flaps And Snap-Lock Tabs
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing containers for small-sized, moist, or liquid products like salads and yoghurt are either expensive to produce, complex to manufacture, or not easily recyclable, and they often result in residual waste.
Innovation Solution
A folding box made from cardboard with a polygonal base, connected side walls, triangular flaps, and locking tabs that allow a plastic lid to be snapped on securely, providing a sealing mechanism and easy recyclability, while being simple to produce and print on.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of manufacture
If conventional plastic bowls or cups are used, then they provide a simple structure and ease of manufacture, but they result in residual waste and are not easily recyclable
Solution Approach 1:
The container is divided into a base portion and a lid portion that can be separated. The base portion is made of cardboard (recyclable) and the lid is made of plastic (reusable), allowing different materials to be optimized for their respective functions and recycling streams.
Solution Approach 2:
The packaging system uses composite materials - cardboard for the base portion and plastic for the lid. This allows each material to be selected for its optimal properties (cardboard for recyclability and printing, plastic for moisture barrier and reusability) while maintaining overall package functionality.
2Loss of substance
If compostable PLA bowls are used, then residual waste is reduced, but production cost increases
Solution Approach 1:
Different portions of the packaging have different material qualities suited to their specific functions. The base portion uses recyclable cardboard with printing surfaces for product information, while the lid uses plastic for moisture protection and snap-fit functionality, optimizing both cost and environmental performance.
Solution Approach 2:
The packaging system enables selective recovery - the plastic lid can be removed and reused or recycled separately, while the cardboard base can be recycled through standard paper recycling streams, maximizing material recovery value.
3Loss of substance
If cardboard bowls with rolled rims are used, then recyclability is improved, but production complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The container is segmented into a base portion and a lid portion. The base portion uses simple folded cardboard construction with glued joints, avoiding complex rolling operations while maintaining structural integrity and recyclability.
Solution Approach 2:
Multiple functional elements are merged into the lid portion - the snap elements for closing, the rim for structural support, and the engagement features for the base - all formed from a single plastic piece, simplifying production compared to assembling multiple separate components.
4Reliability
If triangular flaps are folded against side walls, then liquid leakage is prevented, but the structure becomes more complex
Solution Approach 1:
The corners of the container are segmented into separate triangular flap elements that can be independently folded and sealed against the side walls, creating effective liquid barriers at the corners where leakage is most likely to occur.
Solution Approach 2:
The triangular flaps are pre-formed as integral parts of the cardboard blank, with fold lines and adhesive areas prepared in advance. During assembly, they are simply folded into position and sealed, requiring no additional complex operations.
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 cardboard folding box effectively prevents liquid escape and contamination, is easy to manufacture, and allows for visible product display, with the option to use recyclable materials and transparent lids for visibility.
Implementation Method 1
snap elements on the inside of the outer collar which are snapped into the central sections of the locking tabs
Implementation Method 2
adhesive tabs
Data Source
Figure 1
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AI summary
The invention relates to a folding box for closing with a lid, comprising: • • a base wall (2) with a polygonal main surface, • • lateral walls (3, 4, 5, 6) which are connected to the lateral edges of the base wall via lower folding lines (7, 8, 9, 10), • • pairs (11, 12, 13, 14) of two respective triangular tabs (11.1, 11.2, 12.1, 12.2, 13.1, 13.2, 14.1, 14.2) which are connected together via a central folding line (15.1, 16.1, 17.1, 18.1) and each of which is connected to a lateral edge of one of the two adjacent lateral walls via an outer folding line (15.2, 15.3, 16.2, 16.3, 17.2, 17.3, 18.2, 18.3), said triangular tabs being folded opposite each other about the central folding line and against one of the two adjacent lateral walls, and • • locking tabs (21, 22) which are connected to the upper edges of two opposing lateral walls via upper folding lines (19, 20) and each of which has a strip-shaped central section (23, 24), end sections (25, 26, 27, 28) on both sides of the central section that are adhered to the outer faces of the lateral walls and have a height, said height being increased relative to the central section, and folding lines extending upwards from the ends of the central section and away from each other in an inclined manner, wherein the central sections are pivoted into a pivot position which is held on the end sections outwards relative to the lateral walls via the inclined folding lines.