Stackable Dough Transport Container with Air Passages
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
The decline of artisanal bakeries has led to a desire for bakery products with the quality of artisanal breads that can be freshly baked at distant points of sale without requiring extensive equipment or the expertise of an artisan baker, while existing methods result in products with less tasty crumb and harder crust due to freezing and double baking.
Innovation Solution
A stackable packaging system for transporting and proving fresh raw dough pieces, comprising a rigid plastic frame with air passages and a stainless steel support, allowing controlled cooling and minimizing condensation, which maintains the quality of the dough during transport and storage.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Productivity
If freezing and double baking are used to enable distant point of sale, then productivity and distribution range are improved, but product quality deteriorates with less tasty crumb and harder crust
Solution Approach 1:
The dough is prepared and proofed in advance at the production site, then rapidly cooled to 4°C to pause fermentation. This preliminary action allows the dough to be transported and stored for up to 48 hours while maintaining its quality, enabling distant point of sale without freezing or double baking.
Solution Approach 2:
The invention controls the temperature parameter by rapidly cooling the proofed dough to 4°C and maintaining it during transport. This temperature control prevents quality deterioration while enabling extended storage and distribution, resolving the contradiction between distribution range and product quality.
2Manufacturing precision
If artisanal bakery operations are maintained at point of sale, then product quality is improved, but device complexity and operational requirements increase
Solution Approach 1:
The complex artisanal bakery operations (kneading, proofing, temperature control) are extracted from the point of sale location and consolidated at a centralized production site. The point of sale only requires simple cooking equipment, dramatically reducing device complexity while maintaining product quality through the standardized packaging and transport system.
Solution Approach 2:
The specialized packaging system acts as an intermediary that preserves the quality of artisanal dough during transport. The packaging with controlled air passages and insulation maintains the dough at 4°C without requiring complex equipment at the point of sale, bridging the gap between centralized production and simple point-of-sale operations.
3Duration of action of moving object
If extended transport and storage periods are implemented, then distribution flexibility is improved, but product quality deteriorates due to condensation and temperature variations
Solution Approach 1:
The packaging system controls the temperature parameter by rapidly cooling the dough to 4°C and maintaining it through the use of insulating materials and air passages. This parameter control prevents condensation and quality deterioration during extended storage periods of up to 48 hours.
Solution Approach 2:
The packaging uses a rigid plastic frame with flexible insulation layers and controlled air passages. This structure provides both mechanical protection and thermal insulation, maintaining the dough at the required temperature during extended transport and storage while preventing condensation issues.
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
This system enables the production of high-quality bakery products with extended storage and transport periods up to 48 hours without significant quality deterioration, maintaining the organoleptic qualities of artisanal breads by controlling temperature and humidity, and preventing condensation issues.
Implementation Method 1
at least two opposite sides which have one or more air passages, the total section of the air passages per side being between 2 and 12%, preferably between 2.5 and 8% of the outer surface of said sidewall
Implementation Method 2
a frame of rigid plastic material
Implementation Method 3
a rigid stainless steel support arranged inside the frame, the support comprising at least two opposite folded side edges, the opposite folded edges being held on inner faces of opposite peripheral sides of the frame
Data Source
Figure 1~3
Figure 4~5
AI summary
The invention relates to a stackable container (1) for transporting and proofing fresh, raw, unbaked, uncooked dough pieces, comprising a frame (2) made of rigid plastic material, the frame having (a) peripheral sides, each peripheral side comprising an inner face, an outer face, a lower face and an upper face, each lower face, respectively upper face being configured to assemble with an upper face, respectively lower face of an identical stackable transport container, (b) at least two opposite sides having one or more air passages (22), the total cross-section of the air passages per side being between 2 and 12%, preferably between 2.5 and 8% of the outer surface of said side, and a rigid stainless steel support (3) arranged inside the frame, the support comprising at least two folded opposite lateral edges (31),The opposite folded edges are held on the inner faces of opposite peripheral sides of the frame (2). The invention also relates to a system for transporting and proofing fresh raw dough pieces, comprising the use or implementation of a number of stackable containers; a method for transporting and proofing fresh raw dough pieces using said stackable containers; and a method for manufacturing good quality fresh bakery products, comprising the implementation of said stackable containers according to the invention, the system for transporting and proofing fresh raw dough pieces, and/or said method for transporting and proofing fresh dough pieces.