Collapsible Cardboard Cup Structure for Stable, High-Capacity Handling
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing disposable containers for French fries, potato wedges, and chicken nuggets in the fast-food industry are not dimensionally stable, have limited capacity, and are difficult to handle and stack efficiently, leading to food spillage and limited filling volume.
Innovation Solution
A folding cardboard cup with a circumferential side wall, vertical and horizontal fold lines, and a base wall configuration that allows for easy erection and stacking, providing a large filling volume and stable handling.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Volume of moving object
If traditional chip chutes with two upwardly widening side walls are used, then the container can be folded flat for stacking, but the container is not dimensionally stable and has limited capacity
Solution Approach 1:
The side wall is divided into multiple sections by vertical fold lines, creating distinct segments that can be assembled into a stable three-dimensional structure. The circumferential side wall includes at least three straight wall sections arranged at angles to each other, forming a polygonal cross-section that provides structural stability while maintaining foldability for compact storage.
Solution Approach 2:
The invention transitions from a two-dimensional flat chip chute to a three-dimensional cup structure by adding vertical height through the assembly of angled wall sections. The side wall sections are arranged to form a polygonal prism shape, creating volume in the third dimension while maintaining the ability to collapse flat for storage.
2Ease of operation
If open-top trays or clamshell boxes are used for potato wedges and chicken nuggets, then the container can hold various food items, but removing individual boxes from the stack is difficult and food items can easily fall out
Solution Approach 1:
The cup is designed to nest within similar cups in a stacked configuration, with the rim of one cup fitting into the base of the cup above it. This nesting arrangement allows for compact storage while enabling easy removal of individual cups by simply lifting them out of the stack, eliminating the difficulty of separating nested clamshell boxes.
Solution Approach 2:
The cup features a circular rim and curved side wall sections that provide structural integrity and prevent food items from easily falling out. The circular geometry distributes stress evenly around the rim, enhancing stability while allowing smooth stacking and easy removal from the stack.
3Volume of moving object
If the folding cup has a circular upper rim and polygonal lower rim to maximize capacity, then the filling volume increases, but the structure becomes more complex to fold and erect
Solution Approach 1:
The side wall is segmented into straight sections connected by angled joints, allowing the structure to transition between a compact folded state and an expanded upright state. The vertical fold lines create natural hinge points that simplify the folding and unfolding process, making the complex geometry manageable through modular construction.
Solution Approach 2:
The cup features an asymmetric design with a circular upper rim and a polygonal lower rim, optimizing both capacity and stability. The asymmetric geometry allows the cup to expand to maximum volume when upright while maintaining a compact form when folded, with the different rim shapes providing structural advantages for each state.
Data Source
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AI summary
A folding cup made of cardboard comprising a circumferential side wall with a circular upper rim surrounding an upper opening, a polygonal lower rim with straight sides between the corners surrounding a lower opening, first vertical fold lines extending from the corners towards the upper rim over part of the height of the side wall, two diametrically opposed second vertical fold lines each extending vertically upwards from a corner at the lower rim to the upper rim of the side wall, and a base with at least one base wall connected to a straight side of the lower rim via a first horizontal fold line and at least one base flap holding the base wall in a horizontal orientation in the lower opening.