Carousel Tray Insert for Printing Irregular Food Shapes

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Solution Overview

Problem

Existing edible ink printers, such as the Primera Eddie®, are limited in their ability to consistently position and print on food items of arbitrary shapes and a large range of sizes due to the use of protruding pegs and cut-out slots, which restrict the dimensions of food items to a narrow range of circular diameters.

Innovation Solution

A tray insert accessory for edible ink printers that includes a placement tab and various alignment systems, allowing consistent positioning of food items of diverse shapes and sizes, and a tongue cover for stability during transfer, enabling efficient printing on a variety of food items.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Productivity

If a rotating carousel platter with protruding positioning pegs is used, then automated printing efficiency is improved, but the range of food item shapes and sizes that can be accommodated is limited

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveautomated printing efficiencyVSAvoidrange of food item shapes and sizes

Core Design Contradiction:

ProductivityVSAdaptability or versatility

Solution Approach 1:

The patent introduces a tray accessory as an intermediary component between the carousel platter and the food items. This tray includes a placement tab that interfaces with the positioning pegs and a non-slip surface that secures diverse food items, thereby mediating between the fixed positioning mechanism and the variable food item geometries

Inventive Principle:

Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

Solution Approach 2:

The tray accessory is designed with a universal placement tab that can accommodate multiple food item shapes and sizes on a single carousel platter. By providing a standardized interface (placement tab) that works with the existing positioning pegs, the system gains multi-functionality without requiring multiple specialized trays

Inventive Principle:

Principle #6Universality (Multi-functionality)

2Manufacturing precision

If protruding positioning pegs and cut-out slots are used for alignment, then consistent positioning is achieved, but food item dimensions are restricted to a narrow range of circular diameters

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvepositioning consistencyVSAvoidfood item dimension range

Core Design Contradiction:

Manufacturing precisionVSAdaptability or versatility

Solution Approach 1:

The tray accessory applies local quality by providing a non-slip surface in the specific area where food items are placed. This localized friction enhancement secures diverse food item geometries without interfering with the overall positioning mechanism, allowing consistent positioning across various shapes and sizes

Inventive Principle:

Principle #3Local quality

3Adaptability or versatility

If manual feed mode is used to accommodate diverse food item shapes and sizes, then versatility is improved, but printing time and labor intensity increase

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvefood item shape and size varietyVSAvoidprinting speed and labor efficiency

Core Design Contradiction:

Adaptability or versatilityVSProductivity

Solution Approach 1:

The tray accessory enables self-service by allowing users to quickly load diverse food items onto the tray without requiring complex positioning adjustments. The non-slip surface automatically secures the items, and the placement tab automatically interfaces with the positioning pegs, eliminating the need for manual alignment while maintaining versatility

Inventive Principle:

Principle #25Self-service

Data Source

PatentUS20250351840A1Carousel platter accessory tray for edible ink printer

Publication Date: 2025.11.20 BOWMAN NIKKI

AI summary

An apparatus for use with an edible ink printer such as the Primera Eddie® edible ink printer for the consistent placement of food items on a rotating carousel platter printer feed mechanism, said apparatus being a tray insert accessory which fits onto said platter in place of a nominally-sized food item and comprises a tab for consistent placement of the tray with respect to the platter and a protruding alignment system for consistent placement of food items on the tray, allowing the use of said edible ink printer and carousel platter with food items of a much larger variety of shapes and sizes.