Condiment Container Ramp Geometry for Even Wing Coating
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional condiment containers are not designed to facilitate efficient application of condiments to elongated food items like chicken wings, leading to uneven distribution and wastage of condiment, as they often accumulate on non-meaty ends and require excessive amounts to ensure adequate coverage.
Innovation Solution
A condiment container with a specifically sized and shaped reservoir featuring a steep portion and a ramp portion with a greater angle than the steep portion, allowing food items to be inserted and dragged across the ramp for even condiment distribution, reducing the amount of condiment needed and ensuring it is applied to the central meaty region.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Loss of substance
If a conventional circular cup container is used, then the container is simple in design and easy to manufacture, but the condiment accumulates on non-meaty ends of the food item leading to uneven distribution and waste
Solution Approach 1:
The container side wall is designed with different angles in different regions: a steeper angle at the front portion and a less steep ramp portion at the rear portion. This local variation in geometry ensures that condiment accumulates in the rear portion where food items are inserted, and the ramp portion facilitates controlled distribution along the central region of elongated food items, preventing waste at non-meaty ends.
2Ease of operation
If a larger container is used to allow wings to be inserted more lengthwise, then the food item can be better accommodated, but large amounts of condiment are required to fill it leading to high waste
Solution Approach 1:
The container is designed with specific dimensional parameters: a length of about 0.5 to 2 inches and a width of about 0.25 to 1 inch, with a reservoir volume of about 0.5 to 5 milliliters. These optimized parameters allow elongated food items to be inserted lengthwise while minimizing the total condiment volume required, thus reducing waste while maintaining ease of operation.
3Reliability
If condiment is applied to ensure adequate coverage of the food item, then sufficient flavor is achieved, but excessive condiment is used leading to cost-ineffectiveness
Solution Approach 1:
The ramp portion at the rear of the container creates a localized condiment accumulation zone. When food items are inserted and dragged across this ramp, condiment is distributed primarily along the central meaty region where it is most needed. This localized approach ensures reliable coverage of the edible portions while minimizing unnecessary condiment usage.
4Manufacturing precision
If a container without a ramp portion is used, then the container structure is simpler, but condiment distribution on the food item is uneven
Solution Approach 1:
The side wall incorporates a ramp portion with a less steep angle than the front portion, creating a localized region that facilitates controlled condiment distribution. This geometric feature, while adding some complexity, ensures uniform condiment application along the central region of elongated food items, significantly improving distribution uniformity.
Data Source
AI summary
A condiment container comprises a body having a side wall, a bottom, and an open top, the side wall and the bottom defining a reservoir that can contain a condiment. The side wall includes a steep portion and a ramp portion, the ramp portion having an angle relative to the bottom that is greater than the angle of the steep portion relative to the bottom. A food item, such as a chicken wing, can be inserted into reservoir and applied with condiment, and the food item can be dragged across the ramp portion to distribute the condiment in a desirable manner.