Child Tray Lip Structure for Spill Catching and Secure Attachment
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current tray systems fail to closely conform to children, leading to food and items falling between the tray and the child, are not securely attachable to various surfaces, and are not portable or easy to use, resulting in messes and waste, especially during meals in restaurants.
Innovation Solution
A tray device with a flexible or angled lip that extends towards the child, securely attaches to surfaces using clips or a docking station, and features a removable dishwasher-safe insert to catch and redirect falling items, ensuring they land on the tray surface, while a rubber base grips the table to prevent sliding.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Stability of the object's composition
If a rigid tray is used, then the tray structure is simple and stable, but the tray cannot conform to the child's body movements, creating gaps where food falls
Solution Approach 1:
The tray incorporates a flexible lip portion that can dynamically adjust its position to conform to the child's body as they move forward or backward during meals, eliminating gaps while maintaining overall tray stability through the rigid base structure
2Reliability
If a molded plastic tray is used, then the tray can retain spilled items, but the tray cannot be attached to various surfaces and is heavy
Solution Approach 1:
The tray is divided into separate components: a rigid base providing structural stability, a flexible lip for conforming to the child, and removable attachment mechanisms (clips or docking station) that enable versatile surface attachment while maintaining item retention capability
Solution Approach 2:
The tray design incorporates multiple attachment options (clips for tables, docking station for high chairs) and can be used in various settings (restaurants, homes, travel), making it universally applicable while maintaining the molded plastic structure for reliable item retention
3Reliability
If a high chair with tray is used, then the tray can be securely attached, but the high chair is heavy and cumbersome to transport
Solution Approach 1:
The tray is extracted from the high chair structure as a separate, portable unit that can attach to various surfaces independently, eliminating the need to transport the entire heavy high chair while maintaining secure attachment capability through dedicated clips or docking stations
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 tray effectively prevents food and items from falling between the child and the table, securely attaches to various surfaces, is lightweight and portable, and facilitates easy cleanup, reducing waste and protecting both child and parent clothing from stains.
Implementation Method 1
a rubber base grips the table to prevent sliding
Data Source
AI summary
A tray device that is detachably connectable to a surface, such as a table surface, providing an eating and/or playing surface for a child. The tray is provided with a lip that extends upwardly and outwardly toward the child's body so as to catch items and/or food or drink dropped by the child and direct the slipped item onto the tray surface. The tray may also be provided with a removable insert and various attachment mechanisms to firmly hold the tray onto the table surface.