One-Piece Disposable Food Decorating Bag With Serrated Orifice
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing decorating bags require multiple pieces and complex assembly for different tip sizes, are not suitable for creating three-dimensional ribbon candy designs, and struggle with clogs due to rigid construction, necessitating disassembly and cleaning.
Innovation Solution
A one-piece, fully disposable Easy Fill Bag with a flexible, conical discharge orifice featuring inwardly extending serrations or ridges that can be cut to various sizes, allowing for elastic expansion or compression to pass clogs, enabling the creation of three-dimensional ribbon candy designs without disassembly.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If a rigid multi-piece construction with separate tips is used, then different tip sizes can be achieved, but the device complexity increases and requires assembly/disassembly
Solution Approach 1:
The patent combines the bag and tip into a single integrated disposable unit, eliminating the need for separate tips and couplers. The tip is formed as an integral part of the bag structure, allowing different tip configurations within the same disposable unit without requiring assembly or disassembly of multiple components.
Solution Approach 2:
The disposable decorating bag is designed to perform multiple functions: it serves as both the containment bag and the decorating tip structure. The integrated design allows a single unit to replace multiple separate components (bag, tip, coupler), reducing device complexity while maintaining versatility through different orifice configurations.
2Stability of the object's composition
If a rigid tip construction is used, then structural stability is maintained, but clogs cannot be cleared without disassembly
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces flexibility into the tip structure by making it capable of deformation. The tip can be compressed or manipulated to clear clogs by applying pressure to deform the structure, allowing passage of blocked material, and then returns to its original stable configuration, maintaining structural integrity throughout the process.
Solution Approach 2:
The tip's physical state is dynamically changed during operation. By applying compressive force, the tip's shape and internal passage dimensions are temporarily altered to clear clogs, then the tip returns to its original state. This parameter change allows clog clearance without disassembly while maintaining structural stability.
3Adaptability or versatility
If multiple separate tips are used for different designs, then design versatility is achieved, but the quantity of components increases
Solution Approach 1:
The integrated disposable bag incorporates multiple functional elements within a single unit. Different sections of the bag can be cut to create various opening sizes, and the bag itself can be manipulated to produce different decorating patterns, eliminating the need for multiple specialized tips for different design requirements.
Solution Approach 2:
The bag structure includes designated sections that can be selectively cut or removed to create different opening configurations. This segmentation allows a single bag to function as multiple different tips by exposing different portions of the internal structure, reducing the total number of components needed.
4Ease of operation
If a disposable construction is used, then ease of operation is improved, but the loss of substance increases due to single-use disposal
Solution Approach 1:
The disposable bag is pre-configured with all necessary structural elements, including the tip formation and cutting sections, during manufacturing. This preliminary preparation allows the user to simply cut and use without assembly, greatly simplifying operation. The pre-formed structure ensures consistent performance while the simplicity of use justifies the disposable nature.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent employs a disposable construction where the entire bag assembly is designed for single-use. This eliminates cleaning and maintenance requirements, greatly simplifying operation. The disposable nature is offset by the integrated design that reduces the total number of components that would otherwise need to be manufactured, assembled, and cleaned separately.
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
Enables easy, controlled dispensing of food materials with adjustable opening sizes and effective handling of clogs, allowing for versatile use in decorating and piping applications without the need for multiple tips or disassembly.
Implementation Method 1
the orifice is made of a material so that it is capable of being cut at any point along its longitudinal dimension or along its conical axis to yield an exit opening or hole with a desired size or cross-sectional dimension. Regardless of the point of cut, i.e., regardless of the size of the hole or opening or the cross-sectional dimension, the inwardly extending serrations or ridges that remain insure that the material is 'treated' as it is expelled from the bag through the orifice
Implementation Method 2
the orifice is either: (a) elastic or flexible enough in order to allow the hole or opening in the orifice to expand to pass 'clogs' or 'lumps' and then return to its original shape; or (b) supple or deformable enough in order to allow the orifice to be compressed or collapsed 'upstream' of the hole or opening so that the 'clogs' or 'lumps' can be broken up and then passed through the hole or opening when the orifice returns to its original shape
Data Source
AI summary
A cooking apparatus used for filling and decorating of foods, comprising in some embodiments a one-piece, funnel-shaped bag with a soft side wall, having an open first end at the “top” through which food material and coloring agents can be inserted into the bag and a closed second end at the “bottom” end of the funnel, with an integral, malleable, conical shaped, discharge orifice. The orifice may have serrations or ridges extending inwardly from the internal wall of the orifice, running longitudinally or parallel to the cone axis. The orifice may be initially closed or manufactured with a small opening. The orifice may be made of a material capable of being cut to yield an exit opening. The inwardly extending serrations that remain after a cut may insure that the material is “treated” as it is expelled from the bag through the orifice to yield a ribbon candy design.