Carry tray
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing solutions for carrying multiple drinks or beverages lack versatility and convenience in storage and transport, as they often require separate trays for different items and do not efficiently secure cups or bottles during carrying.
Innovation Solution
A folding, convertible tray with a removable handle and a two-part base hingedly attached along adjacent edges, featuring alignment fins or tabs, hole templates, and foam inserts to securely hold cups or bottles, allowing for flexible use in carrying drinks on both sides or other items, and the option to fold up for storage.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If a traditional single-tray design is used, then the structure is simple, but it lacks versatility for carrying different types of items simultaneously
Solution Approach 1:
The tray is divided into two separate base parts (first base part and second base part) that can be independently configured. Each base part can hold different types of items, allowing the user to carry drinks on one side and food or other items on the other side simultaneously, thereby increasing versatility without requiring multiple separate trays
Solution Approach 2:
The tray design incorporates multiple functional elements including alignment fins for securing cups, hole templates for different bottle sizes, and foam inserts for various item types. The removable handle and foldable base parts allow the same structure to serve multiple purposes - carrying drinks, food, or other items, and can be folded for storage when not in use
2Reliability
If cups or bottles are placed directly on the tray without securing mechanisms, then the tray is simple to manufacture, but cups or bottles may shift or fall during carrying
Solution Approach 1:
The tray incorporates alignment fins specifically positioned at locations where cups or bottles will be placed. These fins extend into the base parts and are sized to receive and secure the bottoms of cups or bottles, providing localized security exactly where needed without adding complex securing mechanisms throughout the entire structure
Solution Approach 2:
Hole templates and foam inserts act as intermediary elements between the tray base and the cups or bottles. These components can be removed or adjusted based on the items being carried, providing adaptable security for different types and sizes of containers without requiring a permanently complex structure
3Ease of operation
If the tray is designed as a fixed rigid structure, then it provides stable support, but it is difficult to store or transport when not in use
Solution Approach 1:
The base parts are connected through a hinge mechanism that allows them to rotate relative to each other. The tray can be used in an open configuration for carrying items and folded into a compact closed position for storage or transport. The hinge maintains structural integrity during use while enabling easy folding when not in use
Data Source
AI summary
A carry tray a two-part base hingedly attached in the middle along adjacent edges. A removable or detachable handle may be provided. Each base comprises a bottom with a side extending upwards along the circumference, in whole or in part Each part of the base can be polygonal, semi-circular, hemi-circular, rectilinear, curved, or combinations thereof. The tray can be folded up along the hinge into a closed position for convenient storage or transport when not in use. The base may be used with a removable template or foam insert.