Flexible Polymeric Beverage Carrier with Apertures

Resolve Bottlenecks,
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions

Solution Overview

Problem

Existing beverage and food carriers are cumbersome, unstable, and inefficient for carrying multiple items, often requiring both hands and providing limited lateral support, leading to spillage and difficulty in handling and storage.

Innovation Solution

A carrier made from a sheet of polymeric material with apertures for beverage containers and handle members, designed to accommodate various sizes and shapes, providing flexibility and self-stabilization, allowing for easy handling of multiple items with one hand and efficient storage.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Stability of the object's composition

If rigid tray carriers with fixed receptacles are used, then beverage containers are held in place, but the carrier becomes bulky and requires both hands to carry

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvestability of beverage containersVSAvoidease of carrying

Core Design Contradiction:

Stability of the object's compositionVSEase of operation

Solution Approach 1:

The patent uses a flexible sheet material with apertures instead of rigid fixed receptacles. The flexible material conforms to the contours of beverage containers, providing stability through elastic retention while maintaining a thin, lightweight profile that enables one-handed carrying.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #30Flexible shells and thin films

Solution Approach 2:

The carrier is segmented into multiple apertures in the sheet material, each capable of independently receiving and stabilizing beverage containers. This segmentation allows the flexible sheet to adapt to different container arrangements while maintaining overall structural integrity for easy carrying.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #1Segmentation

2Quantity of substance

If multiple beverage containers are carried in a tray, then quantity is increased, but handling becomes cumbersome and spillage risk increases

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvenumber of beverage containersVSAvoidease of handling

Core Design Contradiction:

Quantity of substanceVSEase of operation

Solution Approach 1:

The flexible sheet material can expand and contract to accommodate different numbers of beverage containers. When containers are inserted, the material flexes around them providing individual stabilization, reducing spillage risk even when carrying multiple containers with one hand.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #30Flexible shells and thin films

3Force

If traditional paper pulp trays with frictional engagement are used, then beverage containers are held securely, but lateral support is limited and tipping can occur

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvefrictional engagement forceVSAvoidlateral support stability

Core Design Contradiction:

ForceVSStability of the object's composition

Solution Approach 1:

The flexible sheet material provides three-dimensional conformal contact around beverage containers, creating circumferential retention that prevents lateral movement and tipping. The elasticity of the material generates radial friction forces that secure containers from multiple directions, not just from above.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #30Flexible shells and thin films

4Adaptability or versatility

If carriers are designed to accommodate various cup sizes, then versatility is improved, but the carrier becomes bulky and space-consuming

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveaccommodation of various cup sizesVSAvoidstorage space required

Core Design Contradiction:

Adaptability or versatilityVSVolume of moving object

Solution Approach 1:

The flexible sheet material naturally adapts to different cup sizes and shapes through elastic deformation. The apertures in the sheet conform to the dimensions of inserted containers, providing secure retention for various sizes without requiring the carrier itself to be bulky or have adjustable components.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #30Flexible shells and thin films

Solution Approach 2:

The carrier transitions from a static rigid structure to a dynamic flexible system that adjusts its shape and aperture size based on the inserted beverage containers. This dynamic adaptation allows versatility across different container sizes while maintaining a compact form factor.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #15Dynamics

5Strength

If rigid carriers are used, then structural strength is maintained, but the carrier is difficult to store and ship efficiently

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvestructural strengthVSAvoidstorage volume

Core Design Contradiction:

StrengthVSVolume of stationary object

Solution Approach 1:

The flexible sheet material can be folded, compressed, and stacked efficiently for storage and shipping while maintaining sufficient strength to secure beverage containers during use. The material's flexibility allows it to collapse into a compact form when not in use, dramatically reducing storage volume compared to rigid carriers.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #30Flexible shells and thin films

Data Source

PatentUS9027771B2Beverage and food carrier and dispensing systems therefor

Publication Date: 2015.05.12 BLUE SHOE INNOVATIONS

AI summary

A carrier for carrying at least one beverage container includes a sheet of at least one layer of a polymeric material having an arrangement of at least one aperture for receiving a beverage container, and having a plurality of handle members for grasping by at least one finger or portion of a users hand for carrying the beverage container. A tray configuration is also provided for use with the carrier or in a separate manner, and a dispensing system for use with the carrier is set forth.