Foldable Takeout Food Container with Integrated Table-Tray Stands

Resolve Bottlenecks,
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions

Solution Overview

Problem

Conventional takeout food containers are not portable, require multiple pieces for assembly, and often necessitate additional containers, making them cumbersome and difficult to use as both food containers and table-trays.

Innovation Solution

A disposable takeout food container design featuring a tray and two sleeve covers that fold into a compact form, allowing the tray to be elevated and used as a stable table-tray, with interlocking mechanisms to secure the sleeve covers in place, eliminating the need for additional containers and simplifying assembly.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Adaptability or versatility

If conventional takeout containers are designed to be simple and disposable, then manufacturing complexity is reduced, but they cannot function as stable table-trays requiring additional containers

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvedual function as container and table-trayVSAvoidstructure complexity

Core Design Contradiction:

Adaptability or versatilityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The container is designed to serve dual purposes: as a food container during delivery and as a stable table-tray during consumption. The tray body combined with expandable sleeve covers creates a structure that functions both as a protective cover and as elevation supports, eliminating the need for separate containers or trays.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #6Universality (Multi-functionality)

Solution Approach 2:

The sleeve covers are designed to collapse inward and nest within the tray body when not in use, creating a compact form factor for storage and transport. This nested configuration reduces the overall volume significantly, making the container portable while maintaining the capability to expand into a full table-tray structure when needed.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #7Nested doll (Nesting)

2Reliability

If additional containers are added to prevent leakage, then reliability improves, but device complexity and assembly difficulty increase

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveleakage preventionVSAvoidnumber of pieces

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The sleeve covers serve multiple functions simultaneously: they act as protective covers during transport, provide leakage barriers through their enclosed structure, and function as elevation supports when expanded. This consolidation of multiple functions into single components reduces the total number of pieces required while maintaining reliability.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #5Merging (Combining)

Solution Approach 2:

The sleeve covers are designed to perform multiple roles: protecting the tray during delivery, preventing leakage through their enclosed design, and providing structural elevation when positioned vertically during consumption. This multi-functionality eliminates the need for separate auxiliary containers.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #6Universality (Multi-functionality)

3Volume of moving object

If the container is designed with a compact form factor for storage, then portability improves, but the stability when used as a table-tray may be compromised

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvestorage volumeVSAvoidtable-tray stability

Core Design Contradiction:

Volume of moving objectVSStability of the object's composition

Solution Approach 1:

The sleeve covers collapse inward to nest within the tray body for compact storage and portability. This nested configuration minimizes the volume during transport while maintaining the structural integrity needed for later expansion into a stable table-tray configuration.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #7Nested doll (Nesting)

Solution Approach 2:

The container transitions from a compact, collapsed state for storage to an expanded, elevated state for use. The sleeve covers dynamically change from a nested configuration to vertical support positions, providing stability when needed while maintaining portability when collapsed.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #15Dynamics

4Adaptability or versatility

If multiple pieces are used for assembly, then functionality improves, but ease of manufacture and assembly deteriorates

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvetable-tray functionVSAvoidassembly simplicity

Core Design Contradiction:

Adaptability or versatilityVSEase of manufacture

Solution Approach 1:

The container integrates the tray body and sleeve covers into a unified structure where the sleeve covers are attached to the tray. This merging reduces the number of separate components that need to be manufactured and assembled, simplifying both manufacturing processes and consumer assembly while maintaining the table-tray functionality.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #5Merging (Combining)

Data Source

PatentUS11944173B2Takeout food container

Publication Date: 2024.04.02 COUSINS RESTAURANT GRP INC

AI summary

The present invention discloses a disposable takeout food container, comprising a first sleeve cover, and a second sleeve cover. The first sleeve cover and the second sleeve cover when oriented perpendicular to a tray and engaged with the tray, support the tray at an elevated position, functioning as serving tray stands to form a stable table-tray.