Removeable band for stack of disposable cutlery
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional cutlery dispensers face issues with jamming, re-loading, and maintaining a reliable supply of disposable cutlery, as they struggle to consistently and efficiently dispense cutlery pieces without exposing them to the environment, and the bands used to hold stacks together during storage and transit are difficult to remove without disturbing the loaded stack.
Innovation Solution
A removable band made of fiber-based material with a coating and adhesive section, designed to securely hold a stack of cutlery during storage and transit, and easily detachable after loading into a dispenser, ensuring the stack remains undisturbed.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Strength
If a conventional band is used to hold the cutlery stack during storage and transit, then the cutlery pieces are securely confined and held together, but the band becomes difficult to remove without disturbing the stack within the dispenser
Solution Approach 1:
The band incorporates different material properties in different sections: the majority of the band body is made of strong fiber-based material for secure holding, while specific portions are made of removable material that can be easily detached. This local differentiation allows the band to simultaneously provide strong confinement during storage and easy removal during dispensing operations.
Solution Approach 2:
The band is constructed as a composite structure combining fiber-based material and removable material in a single integrated component. This composite design enables the band to exhibit both strong adhesion properties for securing the cutlery stack and controlled removability for easy detachment without disturbing the loaded stack in the dispenser.
2Reliability
If the band is made strong enough to hold the stack together during storage and transit, then the cutlery pieces remain confined and secure, but the band cannot be easily removed from within the dispenser
Solution Approach 1:
The band features localized sections with different functional properties: strong fiber-based material in the main body for reliable stack confinement during storage and transit, and removable material in specific portions that enable easy detachment during dispenser operations. This local quality differentiation resolves the contradiction between reliable confinement and easy removal.
Solution Approach 2:
The band is segmented into functionally distinct sections: a confinement section made of strong fiber-based material and a removal section made of removable material. This segmentation allows each portion to perform its specific function optimally - the fiber-based section ensures reliable stack holding, while the removable section facilitates easy detachment without compromising overall stack integrity.
3Productivity
If conventional bands are used to confine the cutlery stack, then the cutlery can be reliably loaded into the dispenser, but the bands must be removed after loading which risks disturbing the stack
Solution Approach 1:
The band is divided into a confinement section made of strong fiber-based material that maintains stack integrity during loading, and a removable section made of removable material designed for easy detachment. This segmentation enables high loading efficiency while the confinement section continues to secure the stack during the removal process, preventing any disturbance to the loaded cutlery.
Solution Approach 2:
The band is pre-configured with removable material sections positioned to facilitate easy detachment after loading. This preliminary design of the band structure with differentiated material sections allows operators to quickly remove the band without risking stack stability, as the confinement section maintains hold on the cutlery throughout the removal process.
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 band effectively secures the cutlery stack during transport and storage, facilitating easy loading into dispensers while allowing for effortless removal post-loading, thereby addressing the issues of jamming and re-loading, and ensuring a consistent supply of cutlery.
Implementation Method 1
an adhesive section disposed on at least a portion of the coating. The adhesive section can be configured to adhere to the second surface of the body when a first end and a second end of the body at least partially overlap to form a continuous band
Data Source
AI summary
A removeable band for confining a stack of cutlery pieces. The band can include a body having a first surface and a second surface that oppose one another, the body being an elongated strip of fiber-based material. A coating can be disposed on at least a portion of the first surface of the body, and an adhesive section can be disposed on at least a portion of the coating. The adhesive section can be configured to adhere to the second surface of the body when a first end and a second end of the body at least partially overlap to form a continuous band.