Carrier for Containers with Access Features
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing carton designs fail to efficiently hold and display containers of various shapes while providing easy access and robust retention, especially for beverage cans, which can lead to instability and difficulty in handling and displaying.
Innovation Solution
A carrier system comprising multiple panels with central and attachment panels, along with access features, that allows for secure positioning and easy access to containers, utilizing foldable designs and adhesive points for robust attachment and handling.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If existing carton designs are used to hold containers, then the structure is simple, but the retention is insufficient and stability is poor
Solution Approach 1:
The carrier is divided into multiple functional panels including end panels, central panels, attachment panels, and base panels. Each panel performs a specific function: end panels provide structural support, central panels hold containers, attachment panels secure containers with adhesive, and base panels provide stability. This segmentation allows the carrier to achieve robust retention and stability while maintaining a manageable structure.
Solution Approach 2:
The carrier panels are designed to fold and interconnect in a nested manner, forming a three-dimensional structure from a flat blank. The end panels, central panels, and attachment panels are folded and attached to each other in sequence, creating a compact yet stable carrier structure that provides both simplicity in storage and complexity in function when assembled.
2Stability of the object's composition
If containers are securely retained in the carrier, then stability is improved, but access to containers becomes difficult
Solution Approach 1:
The carrier incorporates access features including foldable panels and removable attachment panels that can be dynamically opened or removed to provide access to containers. The attachment panels with adhesive surfaces can be selectively removed to allow container retrieval while maintaining secure retention of remaining containers, thus providing both stability and ease of operation.
Solution Approach 2:
The access features are designed as separate, removable components that can be taken out to provide access to the containers. The attachment panels with adhesive surfaces can be removed to allow container access, while the rest of the carrier structure remains intact to maintain stability. This extraction of specific functional elements allows simultaneous achievement of secure retention and easy access.
3Adaptability or versatility
If the carrier structure is expanded to accommodate various container shapes, then adaptability is improved, but manufacturing complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The carrier employs attachment panels with adhesive surfaces positioned at specific locations to accommodate different container shapes and sizes. The adhesive surfaces can be applied selectively on the inner surfaces of attachment panels, allowing the carrier to adapt to various container geometries without requiring complex overall structural changes. This localized adaptation maintains manufacturing simplicity while improving versatility.
Solution Approach 2:
The carrier design uses universal attachment panels with adhesive surfaces that can accommodate multiple types of containers including beverage cans, bottles, and other shapes. The same attachment panel structure with adhesive coating can secure different container types, eliminating the need for multiple specialized carrier designs and simplifying manufacturing while achieving broad adaptability.
4Reliability
If adhesive surfaces are applied to attachment panels for secure container attachment, then retention is improved, but manufacturing complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The attachment panels combine structural support function with container attachment function by integrating adhesive surfaces directly onto the panel inner surfaces. This merging of functions eliminates the need for separate attachment mechanisms, simplifying the manufacturing process while achieving robust container retention. The adhesive surface is applied directly to the existing panel structure, reducing overall component count and manufacturing steps.
Data Source
AI summary
A carrier for holding a plurality of containers, the carrier includes a plurality of panels that includes a top panel, at least one central panel, and at least one attachment panel configured to receive a portion of one or more containers of the plurality of containers, the at least one central panel is for being positioned between and attached to adjacent containers of the plurality of containers. The carrier also includes at least one access feature that is positionable for allowing access to at least one container of the plurality of containers, the at least one access feature includes a marginal portion of the top panel and a marginal portion of the at least one attachment panel.