Stackable Cup Rack with Retainer Plate for Sanitation
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing cup holders in the food service industry face challenges such as sanitation issues, instability, high costs, and difficulty in cleaning, particularly when used for stacking disposable cups.
Innovation Solution
A cup rack design featuring a base with a cup retainer plate and apertures that securely hold cups in place, allowing for easy stacking and access, while being easy to clean and requiring no specialized installation.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Productivity
If spring loaded cup holders are recessed into cabinetry for employee access, then cup access speed is improved, but device complexity and installation cost increase
Solution Approach 1:
The cup holder system is segmented into multiple independent units that can be stacked vertically. Each unit operates independently with its own cup retention mechanism, allowing the system to provide rapid access to multiple cup sizes simultaneously without requiring a complex single mechanism. This segmentation resolves the contradiction by distributing the productivity function across simple, modular components.
Solution Approach 2:
Instead of recessing the cup holder into cabinetry below the countertop (traditional approach), the invention inverts the design by placing the cup holder on top of the countertop. This inversion eliminates the need for complex recessed mechanisms while maintaining rapid access, as cups are positioned within easy reach of both employees and customers at countertop level.
2Ease of operation
If spring loaded cup holders are installed in cabinetry, then cup access is improved, but installation cost and professional installation requirements increase
Solution Approach 1:
The cup holder employs a dynamic spring-loaded mechanism that automatically adjusts to different cup sizes and weights. This dynamic design allows the same simple structure to accommodate various cup types without requiring complex adjustment mechanisms or professional installation, resolving the contradiction between ease of operation and ease of manufacture.
Solution Approach 2:
The cup holder is designed as a self-contained unit that can be easily installed and adjusted by the end user without requiring professional installation. The spring mechanism self-adjusts to different cup configurations, and the modular design allows for simple mounting on standard countertops, eliminating the need for specialized installation services.
3Productivity
If cup holders are placed behind the counter for employee use, then service efficiency is improved, but customer accessibility deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The cup holder is designed with universal accessibility, allowing both employees and customers to access cups easily. By positioning the cup holder on top of the countertop rather than behind it, the design serves dual functions: maintaining service efficiency for employees while simultaneously providing customer accessibility, thus resolving the contradiction between productivity and ease of operation.
4Area of stationary object
If recessed cup holders are used in cabinetry, then space utilization is improved, but cleaning accessibility and sanitation deteriorate
Solution Approach 1:
The cup holder transitions from a recessed below-countertop design to a above-countertop placement, utilizing the vertical dimension above the countertop surface. This dimensional change maintains efficient space utilization while dramatically improving cleaning accessibility, as the cup holder is now positioned in an easily reachable location for sanitation purposes.
Data Source
AI summary
A receptacle rack including a base providing a surface for abutting support for a retainer plate and a plurality of mounting receptacles; the retainer plate coupled to the base; a plurality of retainer apertures formed within the retainer plate, each retainer aperture sized to receive a corresponding one of the plurality of mounting receptacles, each retainer aperture having a diameter smaller than the largest exterior diameter of the corresponding one of the plurality of mounting receptacles; the retainer plate moveable from a first closed position parallel and proximal to the surface for abutting support to a second open position for insertion of the plurality of mounting receptacles within the plurality of retainer apertures; and a back panel extending from the base, the back panel substantially perpendicular relative to the surface for abutting support, an electronic display installed in the back panel.