Foldable Coaster Holder for Dry Cell Phone Placement
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Solution Overview
Problem
There is a lack of convenient and dry places to place personal electronic devices, such as cell phones, when enjoying beverages in settings like restaurants or bars, leading to the risk of them being left behind on wet surfaces.
Innovation Solution
A device that combines a coaster and an electronic device holder, made from a flat blank with a tab and slot, allowing the device to be folded into a holder while maintaining space for a beverage, providing a secure and dry place for both items.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If a separate device is used to hold personal electronic devices, then personal items can be securely held, but the bar surface becomes cluttered and the device is not protected from moisture
Solution Approach 1:
The patent combines a coaster and a personal item holder into a single integrated device. The holder portion is attached to the coaster portion, allowing both functions (protecting the bar surface and holding personal items) to be performed by one device, thereby reducing clutter while maintaining security.
Solution Approach 2:
The device serves multiple functions simultaneously: it protects the bar surface from moisture through the coaster portion and holds personal electronic devices through the holder portion. This multi-functionality eliminates the need for separate devices, addressing both the reliability and clutter concerns.
2Ease of manufacture
If the holder portion is made from a single flat blank with tab and slot, then manufacturing is simplified, but assembly requires folding and insertion steps
Solution Approach 1:
The holder portion is pre-formed with a tab and slot structure on a flat blank before final assembly. The tab is inserted into the slot to create the folded holder shape, which simplifies the manufacturing process while requiring only a simple insertion step for assembly.
3Area of stationary object
If the coaster and holder are integrated, then space is utilized efficiently, but the structure becomes more complex
Solution Approach 1:
The integrated device is segmented into distinct functional portions: a coaster portion for protecting the bar surface and a holder portion for holding personal items. The holder portion is attached to the coaster portion through a tab-and-slot connection, allowing the segments to be manufactured separately and assembled simply.
Data Source
AI summary
Some embodiments of the present disclosure include a device for simultaneously holding a personal item and a beverage container. The device may include a coaster portion configured to accommodate the beverage container; and a personal item holder portion attached to the coaster portion, the personal item holder portion configured to accommodate the personal item. The coaster portion and the attached personal item holder portion may be made from a flat blank having a tab at a first end and a slot positioned closer to a second end. The personal item holder portion may be formed by folding up a portion of the flat blank such that the tab is inserted into the slot.