Foldable Carrier Panels for Beverage Container Retention
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current carton and carrier designs for holding and transporting containers, such as beverage cans, lack efficient retention and display features, leading to instability and increased material usage, which results in higher costs and waste.
Innovation Solution
A carrier system comprising foldable panels with container retention features and adhesive openings that securely attach to containers, allowing for robust retention and display while minimizing material usage.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If traditional carton designs are used to hold containers, then the carrier can be simple in structure, but the container retention is insufficient leading to instability
Solution Approach 1:
The carrier is divided into multiple functional panels including end panels, central panels, and attachment panels, each with specific retention features. The attachment panels are further segmented into multiple attachment portions that can independently engage with containers, providing distributed retention points that enhance stability without requiring a monolithic complex structure.
Solution Approach 2:
The attachment panels are configured to fold over and engage with the containers in a nested manner, where the panels wrap around the containers and interlock with each other through fold lines and engagement features. This nesting approach provides robust retention while maintaining a compact folded state when empty.
2Reliability
If more material is used in carrier design, then the carrier can provide better retention and stability, but material consumption and waste increase
Solution Approach 1:
The carrier utilizes dynamic folding mechanisms where panels can be folded along predetermined fold lines to transform from a compact state to an expanded retention structure. This dynamic approach allows the same material to provide different levels of structural support as needed, maximizing the effectiveness of the material used without requiring excessive amounts for static reinforcement.
Solution Approach 2:
The carrier employs thin panel structures that flex and conform to the containers being held. These flexible panels provide adequate retention through their geometric configuration and folding patterns rather than through thick rigid material, significantly reducing material consumption while maintaining structural integrity and stability.
3Reliability
If the carrier design prioritizes retention features, then container stability improves, but the ease of manufacture decreases
Solution Approach 1:
The carrier panels are pre-configured with fold lines, cutouts, and engagement features during manufacturing. The attachment panels are pre-formed with specific geometries that automatically align with container features when assembled. This preliminary preparation of retention features simplifies the final assembly process, as the complex retention structures are already prepared and only require folding and engagement rather than complex fastening operations.
4Reliability
If the carrier uses complex retention features, then container engagement is more secure, but assembly and disassembly time increases
Solution Approach 1:
The retention system is divided into multiple independent attachment panels, each handling specific containers or groups of containers. This segmentation allows for parallel assembly operations where different panels can be attached simultaneously, reducing total assembly time. The modular nature also enables quick disassembly by releasing individual panels rather than dismantling the entire carrier structure.
Data Source
AI summary
A carrier for holding a plurality of containers includes a plurality of panels including at least one central panel and at least one attachment panel foldably connected to the at least one central panel, the at least one attachment panel including container retention features for engaging at least one container of the plurality of containers. The at least one central panel includes a plurality of openings and is for being positioned between and attached to adjacent containers of the plurality of containers.