Collapsible receptacle
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing collapsible beverage cups are limited in portability, convenience, and hygiene due to bulkiness, difficulty in cleaning, risk of unintended collapse, and lack of elegance, while also being impractical for both hot and cold beverages.
Innovation Solution
A collapsible beverage cup with an inner and outer sleeve system featuring fold lines that allow for quick reconfiguration between expanded and collapsed states, a rotatable liner for easy cleaning, and a lid structure with a retaining ring to prevent accidental opening, ensuring durability and hygiene.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Volume of moving object
If a collapsible cup is designed to be compact for storage, then portability is improved, but the cup may inadvertently collapse during transport
Solution Approach 1:
The cap is designed with an integrated retaining structure that proactively prevents inadvertent collapse by mechanically locking the cup walls in their expanded position during transport, countering the natural tendency of the collapsible structure to fold inward
Solution Approach 2:
The retention mechanism is pre-configured in the cap design, so that when the cap is placed on the cup, the retaining structure automatically engages to stabilize the cup walls before any collapse can occur during storage or transport
2Reliability
If external caps and straps are added to retain cup configuration, then structural stability is improved, but cleaning difficulty increases
Solution Approach 1:
The retaining function previously requiring separate external straps and caps is merged into the cap structure itself, creating an integrated design where the cap performs both sealing and structural retention functions, eliminating external components that would hinder cleaning
Solution Approach 2:
The retention mechanism is extracted from external separate components and integrated into the cap, removing the need for external straps and caps that cannot be completely cleaned, while maintaining the structural stability function
3Reliability
If the cup is designed with multiple components for collapse retention, then structural stability is improved, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
Multiple functions (sealing, retention, and structural support) are merged into a single integrated cap design, reducing the number of separate components needed while maintaining structural stability during collapse and expansion
4Strength
If the cup uses traditional rigid materials, then durability is improved, but portability during travel deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The cup transitions from a static rigid structure to a dynamic collapsible structure that can change volume between use and storage states, allowing durable materials to be used while significantly reducing transport volume through controlled collapse of the cup walls
5Ease of operation
If disposable cups are used, then convenience is improved, but environmental friendliness deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The cup design enables recovery and reuse of the beverage container itself, replacing the disposable model with a reusable collapsible cup that can be collapsed for storage and repeatedly used, eliminating the need to discard single-use cups while maintaining convenience
Data Source
AI summary
A collapsible receptacle, such as a beverage cup, that is reconfigurable between expanded and collapsed configurations with an inner sleeve with first and second opposed major walls divided by opposed fold lines, an outer sleeve with first and second opposed major walls divided by opposed fold lines, and a liner retained by the inner and outer sleeves. The receptacle is retained in an expanded configuration when the opposed fold lines of the inner and outer sleeves are not aligned, and the receptacle can be collapsed when the opposed fold lines are aligned. A lid can be removably retained by a retaining ring. The opposed fold lines of the inner and outer sleeves can be disposed in groups, such as groups of two fold lines, so that the sleeves have opposed minor walls. The major walls can taper in thickness from their mid-portions to the opposed fold lines.