Food portioning system
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Existing food portioning systems are inefficient and unsafe for accurately and quickly serving food from large containers, often resulting in inconsistent portions and increased risk of burns when handling hot containers.
Innovation Solution
A food portioning system comprising a support and a bracket with an adjustable scrape bar that can be used as a handle, allowing for easy and safe insertion and removal of containers from steam tables, and enabling precise portioning by scraping excess food back into the container.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Measurement precision
If a serving implement is used to scoop and portion food from a food container, then food can be served from the container, but the portioning process becomes difficult and time consuming to provide consistent and accurate food portions
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces a leveler as an intermediary tool between the serving implement and the food container. The leveler has a flat bottom surface that contacts the food container and a top surface that contacts the serving implement, creating a mechanical guide system that ensures accurate portioning without requiring manual skill or time-consuming adjustments
Solution Approach 2:
The leveler changes the geometric parameters of the portioning process by providing a fixed reference plane (flat bottom surface) and a corresponding reference surface (top surface). This transforms the variable, skill-dependent portioning process into a constant, geometry-driven process where the distance between the two flat surfaces defines the portion size
2Loss of substance
If a serving implement is used to portion food, then food can be served, but inconsistent portions result in costs increasing when too much food is served
Solution Approach 1:
The leveler acts as a mechanical intermediary that enforces consistent portion sizes by providing fixed geometric references. This eliminates the variability in manual portioning that leads to food waste, ensuring that each serving is precisely controlled without requiring complex measurement systems
Solution Approach 2:
The leveler enables self-service portioning control where the geometry of the leveler itself (the distance between its flat surfaces) automatically defines the correct portion size. The system serves itself by using its own structural parameters to control the food portion, eliminating the need for external measurement or adjustment mechanisms
3Ease of operation
If a user tries to remove a food container from a steam table, then the container can be removed, but the user risks burning fingers on the hot container and steam table
Solution Approach 1:
The leveler serves as a thermal intermediary tool that the user holds instead of directly touching the hot food container. The leveler's handle provides a thermal barrier between the user's hand and the hot container, allowing safe removal from the steam table without direct contact with heat sources
Solution Approach 2:
The leveler is a simple, inexpensive tool that can be quickly sanitized and replaced if needed. Rather than designing complex permanent handling systems, the patent uses a simple, disposable-like approach where the leveler can be easily discarded or replaced, reducing the need for expensive safety infrastructure
4Ease of operation
If a user pries a food container away from a steam table to remove it, then the container can be removed, but the user can pinch fingers in the process
Solution Approach 1:
The leveler's handle extends beyond the food container, providing a lever arm that allows the user to apply force to remove the container without inserting fingers into the narrow space between the container and steam table. This intermediary tool transforms the prying action into a safe, distance-based operation
Data Source
AI summary
A food portioning system to more accurately and/or quickly portion food served from a food container includes a support for a container and a bracket coupled with the support. The bracket includes a scrape bar positioned above the support to level food within a serving implement. The scrape bar can also be used as a handle to carry, insert, or remove the food container from a steam table. The scrape bar can be adjustable relative to the support to position the scrape bar at varying heights. Such food portioning systems can be used to support a food container within a food well or on a countertop.