Expandable beverage tray
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing beverage trays lack the capacity to efficiently carry multiple beverages and food containers without increasing the footprint or interfering with the cup apertures on the top surface.
Innovation Solution
An expandable beverage tray design featuring a carrier body with a top surface for holding beverage cups, an intermediate tray that slides out to hold additional cups, and a bottom tray that slides out to hold food containers, allowing independent operation without increasing the footprint.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Quantity of substance
If the tray capacity is increased to carry more beverages and food containers, then the carrying capacity is improved, but the footprint of the tray increases
Solution Approach 1:
The beverage tray is divided into multiple independent trays (first tray, second tray, third tray) that can be stacked vertically. Each tray can hold beverages or food containers, and they can be independently arranged or removed. This segmentation allows the system to increase carrying capacity by utilizing vertical space rather than expanding the horizontal footprint.
Solution Approach 2:
The solution transitions from a single-plane (2D) tray configuration to a multi-level (3D) stacked arrangement. By stacking trays vertically, the system exploits the vertical dimension to increase carrying capacity without increasing the horizontal footprint, effectively moving the expansion from two dimensions to three dimensions.
2Quantity of substance
If additional trays are added to increase capacity, then the carrying capacity is improved, but the device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The system is segmented into modular trays that can be independently assembled and disassembled. Each tray is a simple, standardized component with uniform structure, allowing users to stack them in different configurations based on needs. This modularity simplifies the overall complexity by breaking down a complex high-capacity tray into multiple simple identical units.
Solution Approach 2:
The trays are designed to nest within each other vertically, with each tray fitting into the space above or below another tray. This nesting arrangement allows multiple trays to be compactly stored when not in use and easily assembled by stacking, reducing structural complexity while maintaining high carrying capacity.
Data Source
AI summary
The expandable beverage tray comprises a carrier body, an intermediate tray, and a bottom tray. The expandable beverage tray may be adapted to hold beverages and food being delivered by a delivery person. A top surface of the carrier body may be adapted to hold a plurality of beverage cups in a first plurality of cup apertures. The intermediate tray and the bottom tray may reside within the carrier body. The intermediate tray may be adapted to slide out of the carrier body and hold more of the plurality of beverage cups in a second plurality of cup apertures. The bottom tray may be adapted to slide out of the carrier body and hold one or more food containers.