Elevated Collapsible Tray Structure for Refrigerated Meal Kit Boxes
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Existing meal kit shipping systems lack a means to securely support meal kits in bags while maximizing air use for refrigeration and are complex to manufacture.
Innovation Solution
A modular packaging system comprising a collapsible tray and outer box, with a tray insertable into the box, featuring wings and end panels that engage to support the tray above the box bottom, and a method of forming the tray and box assembly from blanks, ensuring secure placement and simplified manufacturing.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Loss of energy
If a tray is designed to securely support meal kits in bags while maximizing air use for refrigeration, then the refrigeration efficiency is improved, but the device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The tray is divided into multiple functional segments including a base panel, four side panels, and four wings that can be independently formed from a blank. This segmentation allows each component to serve specific purposes: side panels provide structural support while wings create air gaps for refrigeration, resolving the contradiction between structural integrity and refrigeration efficiency
Solution Approach 2:
The wings extend downward from the side panels to engage with the bottom panel, creating a three-dimensional structure that elevates the meal kit bag. This dimensional arrangement maximizes air circulation space beneath and around the bag, improving refrigeration efficiency without adding complex external components
2Volume of moving object
If a modular packaging system with collapsible components is used, then the storage efficiency is improved, but the manufacturing precision requirements increase
Solution Approach 1:
The tray is pre-formed from a single blank with all fold lines and engagement features predetermined during manufacturing. The wings are pre-configured to engage with notches in the side panels, ensuring proper alignment when collapsed. This preliminary preparation reduces the precision demands during actual assembly and collapse operations
Solution Approach 2:
The collapsible design allows the side panels and wings to nest within each other when collapsed, with the wings fitting into spaces created by the folded side panels. This nesting arrangement maximizes compression efficiency while the pre-formed geometry ensures consistent nesting alignment without requiring high-precision manual adjustment
Data Source
AI summary
A box assembly comprising an outer box comprising a bottom end panel and a plurality of side panels extending upwardly therefrom; and a tray comprising a bottom panel; a first side panel extending upward from a first bottom panel side and a second side panel extending upward from a second bottom panel side; a first wing extending downward from the first side panel and a second wing extending downward from the second side panel; a first end panel and a second end panel arranged laterally between the first side panel and the second side panel; wherein each of the first wing and the second wing are configured to engage at least one of the first end panel and the second end panel and support the bottom panel above the bottom end panel and the tray is positioned in the interior cavity of the outer box.