Deformable Dairy Packaging Envelope for Stable Display Configurations
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing dairy product packaging fails to maintain a 1:1 weight ratio between mozzarella and preserving liquid, leading to oxidation and osmotic water loss, while also restricting transport and storage configurations due to rigidity or deformation issues.
Innovation Solution
A deformable packaging envelope with a 1:1 weight ratio between mozzarella and preserving liquid, allowing for multiple display configurations through adjustable main and side walls that form a stable base, made from a thin polymeric or biopolymer film, enabling submersion and minimizing water release.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Stability of the object's composition
If a rigid package (Brick or Tub) is used to maintain stability and prevent deformation, then the package remains stable during transport and storage, but it restricts transport and storage to a single vertical position and requires significant polymeric material thickness (700-1000 microns) increasing environmental impact
Solution Approach 1:
The package transitions from a rigid static structure to a dynamic flexible structure that can adapt its shape. The flexible packaging envelope can be positioned in different orientations (vertical, horizontal, inclined) and will automatically form a stable base depending on the gravity vector, enabling multiple transport and storage configurations without requiring rigid structural support
Solution Approach 2:
The patent uses a flexible packaging envelope made of thin film material instead of rigid thick-walled structures. This flexible shell allows the package to deform and adapt to different positions while maintaining integrity, eliminating the need for 700-1000 micron thick polymeric material and reducing environmental impact
2Adaptability or versatility
If a flexible package (Pillow or Doypack) is used to enable multiple display configurations, then the package can be positioned in various orientations on shelves, but it deforms when contacted by users or supporting surfaces, preventing optimal submersion of mozzarella in preserving liquid
Solution Approach 1:
The flexible package is designed to dynamically form a stable base automatically depending on its orientation. Whether positioned vertically, horizontally, or at an incline, the package will always settle with its bottom surface perpendicular to the gravity vector, ensuring the mozzarella remains substantially submerged in the preserving liquid regardless of display configuration
3Object-affected harmful factors
If abundant preserving liquid is used to ensure mozzarella is completely submerged, then oxidation is prevented, but the weight ratio between mozzarella and preserving liquid exceeds 1:1, activating osmotic processes that cause water release from mozzarella and weight loss
Solution Approach 1:
The patent precisely controls the volume parameter of the preserving liquid to achieve the optimal 1:1 weight ratio with mozzarella. This parameter optimization prevents both oxidation (by maintaining sufficient submersion) and excessive osmotic water loss (by avoiding excess liquid), thereby preserving the dairy product's quality and weight
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
Ensures optimal preservation by maintaining submersion and minimizing water loss, while allowing flexible storage and display orientations, thus extending shelf-life and reducing environmental impact.
Implementation Method 1
the mozzarella is substantially to be submerged in the preserving liquid
Implementation Method 2
Since the preserving liquid has a greater salt content than the mozzarella due to the salt concentration gradient, the mozzarella release water through the osmosis, attempting to rebalance the salt level between mozzarella and preserving liquid
Data Source
Figure 1~1d
Figure 2
Figure 2a
AI summary
The present invention belongs to the field of packaging dairy products, in particular the object of the present invention is a packaged dairy product (1), e.g. mozzarella, a machine (100) and a packaging method. The packaged dairy product (1) comprises a packaging envelope (2) containing a preserving liquid (3) and at least one dairy product (4) at least partially submerged in said preserving liquid (3). The packaging envelope (2) consists of a pair of main walls (21, 22) opposite to each other, and a pair of side walls (23, 24) arranged between and connected to said main walls (21, 22). Moreover, the packaging envelope (2) is made of a material and/or a thickness such that it is deformable when the packaged dairy product (1) is placed in contact with a supporting surface (S), in such a way that three different transport, storage and/or display configurations are possible as a result of the weight of the preserving liquid (3) and of the at least one dairy product (4).