Disposable Cross-Strap Carry Handle for Sagging Pizza Boxes
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Solution Overview
Problem
Carrying boxed food items like pizzas and cakes is challenging due to sagging boxes, potential burns from hot items, and difficulty in managing multiple items and personal belongings simultaneously, with existing solutions being either expensive, cumbersome, or not providing adequate support for the box bottom.
Innovation Solution
A disposable, single-use strap-like handle with foldable strap portions that can be easily assembled around boxes, providing support and allowing for safe carrying of multiple items with one hand, made from inexpensive, environmentally friendly materials like paper or cardboard, and designed to prevent direct contact with hot surfaces.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Strength
If the box is made of thicker stronger material to prevent sagging, then the box strength is improved, but the cost of the box and pizza increases
Solution Approach 1:
The carrying system is divided into two separate components: the original thin pizza box and a separate disposable carry handle. This segmentation allows the box to remain inexpensive and lightweight while the handle provides the necessary structural support for carrying, resolving the contradiction between box strength and manufacturing cost.
Solution Approach 2:
A disposable carry handle acts as an intermediary element between the user's hands and the pizza box. This handle supports the box bottom to prevent sagging while being inexpensive to manufacture, allowing the original box material to remain thin and cost-effective.
2Ease of operation
If a built in handle is manufactured on the top of the box, then the carrying convenience is improved, but the box cannot be opened to inspect the pizza and the handle needs to be attached after handling the hot box
Solution Approach 1:
The disposable carry handle is prepared in advance and attached to the box bottom before the customer receives the pizza. This preliminary action allows the box to be carried safely without direct hand contact, eliminating burn risks during both carrying and inspection phases.
Solution Approach 2:
The carry handle serves as a thermal intermediary that prevents direct contact between the customer's hands and the hot box. By attaching this handle beforehand, customers can inspect the pizza through the box opening without risking burns from hot surfaces.
3Quantity of substance
If multiple boxes are stacked on top of each other for carrying, then the quantity of items carried is improved, but the risk of burns to hands, wrists and arms increases
Solution Approach 1:
Each box in the stack is equipped with its own disposable carry handle attached to the bottom. This segmentation of carrying functions allows multiple boxes to be stacked and carried simultaneously without direct hand contact with any hot surfaces, eliminating burn risks while maintaining the ability to transport multiple items.
4Ease of operation
If a paper or similar band is used to hold bundled items together, then the organizing function is improved, but the band cannot support the weight and does not enable carrying
Solution Approach 1:
The solution uses a disposable carry handle made from inexpensive materials that is specifically engineered to bear weight. Unlike reusable paper bands designed only for organization, this single-use handle provides both the organizing function of bundling items and the structural strength necessary for actual carrying.
Solution Approach 2:
The disposable carry handle acts as a weight-bearing intermediary that bridges the gap between lightweight organizational bands and heavy-duty permanent handles. It provides sufficient carrying capacity for pizza boxes while remaining inexpensive and disposable.
Data Source
AI summary
A carry handle (33) for carrying a pizza box or cake box or other boxed food product is made of inexpensive disposable paper or cardboard and comprises a pair of strap portions which generally are parallel to each other and in a side-by-side relationship and are joined to each other by a fold line (17). The strap portions can be twisted about the fold line (17) into a cross like configuration. A pizza box can then be placed on the cross like configuration. The strap portions are longer than the width of the pizza box and can therefore be lifted up and over the pizza box and connected together to form a reliable carry handle.