Expandable Food Container Cover With Rotating Dome Lock
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional food storage containers often require multiple covers to accommodate different food sizes, leading to increased storage needs and additional purchases, as standard domed covers cannot fit larger items like roasts or tall cakes.
Innovation Solution
An expanding food storage container design featuring a base and a cover with a dome and ring wall, where support threads and tabs allow the dome to rotate and move longitudinally, enabling expansion or retraction to adjust volume, with resting lands and a lock button for secure positioning.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If a standard domed cover is used, then the cover structure is simple and storage space is compact, but the cover cannot accommodate larger food items like roasts or tall cakes
Solution Approach 1:
The cover incorporates a dome that can be rotated relative to the ring wall through threaded engagement, allowing the dome to move between a retracted position (for small items) and an extended position (for large items). This dynamic adjustment enables a single cover to adapt to different food sizes without requiring multiple covers of varying dimensions.
2Adaptability or versatility
If a second larger cover is provided to accommodate bigger food items, then all food sizes can be accommodated, but additional storage space and purchase cost are required
Solution Approach 1:
The cover design integrates multiple functions into a single component: the dome can be positioned in multiple states (retracted or extended) to serve different storage needs. This universal design eliminates the requirement for multiple specialized covers, allowing one cover to replace what would traditionally require two or more covers of different sizes.
3Adaptability or versatility
If the dome is made movable to adjust volume, then adaptability to different food sizes is achieved, but the cover structure becomes more complex with threads and tabs
Solution Approach 1:
The cover is divided into two main segments: the ring wall (stationary) and the dome (movable). These segments are connected through a threaded interface with tabs that engage the threads, allowing relative rotation and movement. This segmentation enables the dome to be adjusted independently while maintaining structural integrity through the threaded connection mechanism.
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
The container efficiently adapts to different food sizes without the need for multiple covers, providing a stable and secure storage solution that allows for easy carrying and use in both expanded and collapsed states.
Implementation Method 1
a series of support threads is provided on said dome; and a tab is provided on said cover; and said tab is spaced and located to engage said series of support threads; and said tab and said series of threads are located so that rotation of said dome relative to said ring wall causes said series of threads to rotate relative to said tab and cause said dome to move longitudinally upward or downward with respect to said ring wall
Implementation Method 2
continued rotation of said dome relative to said ring wall causes said tab to ride over said lock button and due to elastic deformation serve to selectively hold said dome against unintended rotation
Data Source
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AI summary
An expanding food storage container (10) includes a base (12) and a cover (14). The cover (14) includes a support ring (20) and a dome (22) having a side wall (32) closely received in the support ring (20). The support ring (20) includes spaced tabs (30) extending toward the side wall (32) of the dome (22). The outer face of the dome sidewall (32) includes a plurality of camming threads (38) and support threads (50) extending outward along helical paths. There is a pair of threads (38, 50) for each tab (30), with the threads (38, 50) spaced peripherally to closely receive the associated tab (30) therebetween. Rotation of the dome (22) with respect to the support ring (20) causes the threads (38, 50) to ride up or down the tabs (30), raising or lowering the dome (22) with respect to the support ring (20). The upper and lower ends of the threads (38, 50) include a horizontal slot which closely receives the associated tab (30). The tab (30) includes a depression (47) near its end which receives a lock button (46) extending outward from the dome sidewall (32) within the slot. The lock button (46) may be selectively received within the depression (46) to selectively secure the dome (22) in the expanded or collapsed position.