scoop
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Solution Overview
Problem
Consumable products in granulated or powdered form face challenges in portioning and dispensing accurately, and there is a growing concern about environmental impact.
Innovation Solution
A scoop made of foldable material with pre-formed scores that can be configured between a flat and formed shape, featuring a cup and handle design to facilitate precise portioning and dispensing, with a funnel-like structure for easy transfer.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Measurement precision
If existing utensils are used for portioning and dispensing fine particle products, then the products can be dispensed, but accurate portioning and tidy dispensing remain challenging
Solution Approach 1:
The scoop is pre-formed with a specific cavity volume that corresponds to a desired serving size. The pre-formed scores create structural guides that ensure the scoop maintains its shape and volume during use, allowing users to accurately portion products without requiring measurement skills or additional tools.
Solution Approach 2:
The invention transitions from a flat blank to a three-dimensional formed scoop with depth and volume. This dimensional transformation creates a cavity with specific capacity, enabling accurate portioning through volume definition rather than relying on user technique or iterative adjustment.
2Object-affected harmful factors
If traditional dispensing methods are used, then products can be transferred, but environmental footprint is increased
Solution Approach 1:
The scoop is designed as a disposable utensil made from compostable or recyclable materials. After use, the entire scoop can be discarded without requiring cleaning or sterilization, eliminating the environmental impact associated with washing and reuse while maintaining functional effectiveness during its brief service life.
Solution Approach 2:
The material properties are selected to enable compostability or recyclability. The scoop uses materials with specific degradation characteristics that allow them to break down naturally or be easily recycled, fundamentally changing the end-of-life parameter from persistent waste to environmentally benign disposal.
3Shape
If a flat blank is used, then manufacturing is simple, but the cup and handle structure cannot be formed
Solution Approach 1:
The blank is divided into distinct functional zones separated by pre-formed scores: a cup portion for holding product, a handle portion for gripping, and connecting structures. These segmented regions are created through score lines that guide folding, allowing the flat blank to transform into a structured three-dimensional form with clear functional separation.
Solution Approach 2:
The flat two-dimensional blank is transformed into a three-dimensional formed structure through folding along pre-defined scores. This dimensional transition creates depth, volume, and spatial relationships between the cup and handle portions, enabling the desired structural complexity while maintaining manufacturing simplicity.
4Measurement precision
If the scoop is formed into a three-dimensional structure, then accurate portioning is enabled, but the manufacturing process becomes more complex
Solution Approach 1:
The scores are pre-formed on the flat blank before folding, establishing the exact locations where folds should occur. This preliminary marking system guides the forming process and ensures consistent three-dimensional geometry, allowing accurate portioning to be achieved through a simple folding operation rather than complex molding or shaping processes.
Solution Approach 2:
The blank is designed with self-forming characteristics where the pre-formed scores automatically guide the folding process into the correct three-dimensional configuration. The structure serves itself during formation, requiring minimal intervention or complex tooling, as the score lines naturally direct the material into the desired cup and handle geometry.
Data Source
AI summary
A scoop comprising: a sheet constructed of a foldable material, the sheet including: a pair of lateral scores extending across the sheet including a first lateral score segment and a second lateral score segment extending away from an axis and respectively toward the first lateral side and the second lateral side, the first and second lateral scores extending transversally to the axis, obliquely relative the axis and towards the rear; a handle portion extending from the rear side to the pair of lateral scores, the handle portion foldable in half around the axis; and a cup portion extending from the front side to the lateral score, the cup portion including a pair of longitudinal cup scores extending between the front side and the pair of lateral score, towards the axis; lateral sheet edges extending continuously along the first lateral side and the second lateral side, alongside both the handle portion and the cup portion.