Dough Packaging Assembly Pressure Management

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Solution Overview

Problem

Existing packaging methods for dough products that include additional ingredients face issues with internal pressure increases during proofing, leading to potential bursting of separate cups or pouches, and are either costly or difficult for consumers to handle when using separate containers.

Innovation Solution

A four-container packaging assembly where a spirally wound paperboard tube holds the dough, an open-ended tubular member supports it, a pouch contains additional ingredients, and a paperboard or shrink wrap container encapsulates the assembly, allowing the tubular member to absorb pressure changes without affecting the ingredients.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Reliability

If separate cups or pouches are used to store additional ingredients within a can, then ingredient separation is achieved, but the cups or pouches may burst due to internal pressure increases during proofing

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveintegrity of additional ingredient containerVSAvoidinternal pressure during proofing

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSStress or pressure

Solution Approach 1:

The packaging is divided into distinct segments: an inner container for dough and an outer container for additional ingredients. This segmentation isolates the pressure-generating dough from the ingredient container, preventing pressure transmission and bursting while maintaining reliable ingredient storage.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

The additional ingredients are extracted from the pressurized can environment and placed in a separate outer container. This extraction removes the ingredient container from the harmful pressure zone, ensuring its integrity during proofing while still allowing ingredient separation.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #2Taking out (Extraction)

2Reliability

If two separate, individually enclosed containers are used for dough and additional ingredients, then ingredient separation and pressure protection are achieved, but production cost and complexity increase

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveprotection of additional ingredients from pressureVSAvoidpackaging structure complexity

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The inner container holding dough is nested within the outer container holding additional ingredients. This nested configuration provides pressure protection for ingredients while using a simple, integrated two-container structure that is easier and less costly to manufacture than fully separate interconnected containers.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #7Nested doll (Nesting)

3Reliability

If two separate, individually enclosed containers are used for dough and additional ingredients, then ingredient separation and pressure protection are achieved, but mass production cost increases

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveprotection of additional ingredients from pressureVSAvoidmass production cost

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSEase of manufacture

Solution Approach 1:

The nested container configuration allows for simplified mass production processes. The inner container can be pre-formed and then placed within the outer container in a single automated operation, reducing the number of steps and costs compared to manufacturing and assembling fully separate interconnected containers.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #7Nested doll (Nesting)

4Reliability

If separate containers are used for dough and additional ingredients, then ingredient separation is achieved, but consumer handling and opening difficulty increases

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveingredient separationVSAvoidconsumer handling and opening

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSEase of operation

Solution Approach 1:

The nested container design presents a single unified package to the consumer, simplifying handling and storage. The consumer opens one outer container to access both the dough and additional ingredients together, avoiding the complexity of managing multiple separate containers while still maintaining ingredient separation during proofing.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #7Nested doll (Nesting)

Data Source

PatentUS12114667B2Dough product packaging assembly and method of packaging

Publication Date: 2024.10.15 GENERAL MILLS INC

AI summary

A dough product packaging assembly includes one or more dough pieces arranged a first container having a closed, internal cavity, a second container supported upon the first container with an open top portion, a third container housing one or more additional ingredients, such as icing, within the second container, and an outer container extending across the open top portion of the second container and encapsulating each of the first, second and third containers. In connection with production, transportation and consumer displaying of the product, the second container provides support and transfers weight from any cartons stacked above a lower dough product directly onto the first container, thereby allowing the outer or fourth container to act as a containment vessel only, versus something needed to directly provide vertical structural support.