Foldable Lid Spoon Structure for Sterile Single-Serve Packaging
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing solutions for integrating eating utensils with food containers are either costly, require multiple components, or are not suitable for children due to complexity, and often result in contamination and environmental impact from separate plastic spoons.
Innovation Solution
A folding eating utensil integrated into a lid or container using minimal materials, such as recycled or degradable paperboard, which can be easily manufactured and deployed by users, providing a sterile and strong scooping mechanism with minimal environmental impact.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If a separate removable spoon is used, then the utensil can be stored in the lid, but it requires multiple components and assembly steps which increases device complexity
Solution Approach 1:
The spoon is merged with the lid to form a single integrated structure. The spoon handle is formed from an extension of the lid material, and the spoon bowl is created by folding a portion of the lid itself. This eliminates the need for separate spoon components and reduces assembly steps while maintaining the capability to store and use the utensil.
Solution Approach 2:
The lid serves multiple functions: it covers the container, provides structural support, and forms the eating spoon. The same material that makes up the lid is transformed into the spoon handle and bowl through folding and shaping, allowing one component to fulfill multiple roles that traditionally required separate parts.
2Strength
If the utensil is attached perpendicularly to the lid, then it provides stable support, but it increases manufacturing cost and reduces ease of manufacture
Solution Approach 1:
The spoon is segmented into distinct functional zones (handle, transition area, bowl) that are created through sequential folding of the lid material. Each zone serves a specific purpose: the handle provides grip, the transition area creates structural integrity, and the folded bowl portion provides the scooping surface. This segmentation allows for stable support while using simple folding operations rather than complex perpendicular attachment mechanisms.
Solution Approach 2:
Instead of attaching the spoon in a perpendicular direction (adding complexity), the spoon is formed by folding the lid material in-plane and then bending it into three-dimensional shape. The handle extends radially from the lid center, and the bowl is formed by folding the lid material downward and inward, creating the spoon shape through dimensional transformation rather than separate attachment.
3Strength
If three layers of material are used for the spoon assembly, then the structure is robust, but it increases material usage and environmental impact
Solution Approach 1:
The physical parameters of the lid material are changed through folding and bending to create the spoon structure. The same material undergoes geometric transformation rather than requiring additional material layers. The handle, transition area, and bowl are all formed from the original lid material by changing its shape and configuration, not by adding more material.
Solution Approach 2:
The lid material is recovered and reused to form the spoon. Instead of discarding the lid after use or using separate spoon materials, the lid itself is transformed into the utensil. The material that would otherwise be waste or require separate production is instead repurposed into a functional eating spoon, reducing overall material consumption.
4Reliability
If the scoop is kept folded under the lid, then it remains sterile and protected, but it requires user action to deploy which increases operation complexity
Solution Approach 1:
The spoon is pre-positioned in a folded state under the lid, ready for deployment. The folding configuration is designed so that the spoon naturally rests in a protected position during storage and transport, maintaining sterility without requiring active sealing or covering mechanisms. The user simply needs to unfold the spoon when ready to use, and the preliminary folding arrangement ensures it is already in the correct position and orientation.
Solution Approach 2:
The spoon transitions from a static folded state to a dynamic deployed state through simple user action. The folding design allows the spoon to be easily unfolded and positioned for use, then potentially refolded for storage. This dynamic capability enables the spoon to switch between protected (sterile) and operational states without complex mechanisms, maintaining sterility when needed and providing ease of use when deployed.
Data Source
AI summary
A single, thin piece of folded material attaches to a single serving container to provide a strong, sanitary spoon, Folding score lines on the handle portion of the spoon give the utensil strength and provide a simplicity of use suitable for children. The disclosed utensil may be attached to existing containers or may be built into containers during the manufacture of the underlying container, or may be available as a stand-alone product. The disclosed utensil may be integrated into packaging material as overwrap sleeves used to package food containers.