Docking Tray With Flexible Lip to Catch Child Food Spills
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current tray systems fail to closely conform to children, allowing food and items to fall between the tray and the child, are not securely attachable to various surfaces, and are not portable or easy to use, leading to messes and waste during meals.
Innovation Solution
A tray device with a flexible or angled lip that conforms to the child's body, a secure attachment mechanism using clips or a docking station, and a removable dishwasher-safe insert to catch and redirect falling items onto the tray surface, ensuring easy cleanup and protection of surfaces.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Stability of the object's composition
If a rigid tray is used, then the tray structure is simple and stable, but the tray does not conform to the child's body movements, creating gaps where food can fall
Solution Approach 1:
The tray incorporates a flexible lip portion that can dynamically adjust its position to conform to the child's body movements. This flexible section allows the tray to adapt its shape and position as the child moves, preventing gaps from forming while maintaining overall structural stability through the rigid tray body.
Solution Approach 2:
The tray includes a flexible lip made from elastomeric material that can bend and conform to the child's body contours. This flexible component specifically addresses the adaptation need while the main tray body remains rigid for stability.
2Weight of moving object
If a tray is designed to be portable and lightweight, then ease of transport is improved, but the attachment mechanism becomes more complex
Solution Approach 1:
The tray system is divided into separate components: a lightweight tray body and a separate attachment mechanism. This segmentation allows the tray to remain portable and easy to clean while the attachment mechanism can be independently designed for secure mounting to various surfaces.
Solution Approach 2:
The attachment mechanism is designed with universal adaptability to attach to various surfaces including tables, high chairs, and strollers. This multi-functional attachment system handles different mounting scenarios without requiring complex device-specific mechanisms for each surface type.
3Reliability
If a tray is securely attached to a surface, then stability is improved, but the tray cannot be easily removed for cleaning
Solution Approach 1:
The attachment mechanism features a dynamic design that transitions between a secured state during use and an easily removed state for cleaning. The clip or docking station mechanism can be quickly engaged to provide secure attachment and quickly disengaged for cleaning, accommodating both requirements through state transitions.
4Ease of manufacture
If a molded plastic tray is used, then the tray is easy to manufacture and clean, but it does not closely form to the child such that food falls between the tray and child
Solution Approach 1:
The tray incorporates a flexible lip made from elastomeric material that can bend and conform to the child's body contours. This flexible component specifically addresses the adaptation need while the main tray body remains rigid for ease of manufacture and cleaning.
Solution Approach 2:
The tray combines rigid molded plastic for the main body with a flexible elastomeric lip. This composite construction integrates materials with different properties: the rigid plastic provides ease of manufacture and cleaning, while the flexible elastomeric portion provides conformity to the child's body.
Data Source
AI summary
A tray device that is detachably connectable to a surface, such as a table surface, providing an eating and/or playing surface for a child. The tray is provided with a lip that extends upwardly and outwardly toward the child's body so as to catch items and/or food or drink dropped by the child and direct the slipped item onto the tray surface. The tray may also be provided with a removable insert and various attachment mechanisms to firmly hold the tray onto the table surface.