Collapsible heatable liquid containers
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional heat-resistant and heatable liquid containers are rigid, making them unsuitable for compact storage and inefficient in space usage due to their convex shape and lack of nesting compatibility.
Innovation Solution
A collapsible liquid container design featuring a stiff top and bottom tier with a collapsible wall section composed of stacked, alternating stiff and flexible tiers, allowing the container volume to be adjusted by folding the flexible tiers, and incorporating features like a hinged lid and pour spout for functionality.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If rigid material is used for heat-resistant containers, then heat resistance and structural stability are improved, but storage compactness and space efficiency deteriorate
Solution Approach 1:
The container wall is divided into multiple collapsible tiers that can be stacked and nested together. This segmentation allows the rigid heat-resistant structure to be broken down into compact units for storage, resolving the contradiction between maintaining structural integrity for heat resistance and achieving compact storage volume.
Solution Approach 2:
Multiple container tiers are designed to nest within each other when collapsed, similar to nested dolls. This nesting arrangement enables the rigid heat-resistant containers to occupy minimal storage space while maintaining their structural properties for heat resistance during use.
2Loss of energy
If convex wall profile is used for heat retention, then heat retention is improved, but nesting compatibility and storage efficiency deteriorate
Solution Approach 1:
The container wall profile is made dynamic through collapsible tiers that can transition between expanded and collapsed states. When expanded, the profile optimizes heat retention; when collapsed, it enables nesting compatibility. This dynamic transformation resolves the contradiction between heat retention and nesting adaptability.
Solution Approach 2:
The container employs flexible collapsible wall sections that can deform between convex heat-retaining shapes and flattened nested configurations. This flexibility allows the same structure to serve both heat retention and nesting compatibility functions at different operational states.
3Loss of energy
If broad midsection is used to minimize surface area-to-volume ratio, then heat retention is improved, but portability and handling deteriorate
Solution Approach 1:
The container's midsection breadth is made dynamic through collapsible tiers. When expanded, the broad midsection minimizes surface area-to-volume ratio for heat retention. When collapsed, the midsection compresses to reduce overall dimensions, improving portability and handling. This dynamic adjustment resolves the contradiction between heat retention and portability.
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 design enables self-supporting, stable, and compact containers that can be easily stored and transported, while maintaining heat resistance and heat transfer capabilities through induction or flame heating.
Implementation Method 1
The bottom tier is composed of a thermally conductive, flame resistant material configured to conduct heat from a flame to a liquid in the container
Implementation Method 2
the bottom tier is composed of an electrically resistive and ferromagnetic material, so that an induction cooker induces currents in the material, and the induced currents generate heat to heat a liquid within the kettle
Implementation Method 3
the induced currents generate heat to heat a liquid within the kettle
Data Source
AI summary
Collapsible heatable liquid containers having three non-inverting tiers and two inverting tiers interposed between the non-inverting tiers. The non-inverting tiers are typically formed of a stiff (i.e., stiff or rigid) material that is different from the material of the inverting tiers, which is typically a resilient polymer such as a thermoplastic elastomer or silicone. The bottom non-inverting tier is typically formed of a material suitable for inductive, contact, and flame heating, such as stainless steel. The container may be a liquid vessel suitable for drinking, beverage heating and serving, or cooking, such as a drinking bottle or kettle. A bottle may include an attached cap that engages the top tier to close the bottle, and a kettle may include a pour spout connected to the middle or top tier.