Adhesive-Edge Food Tray Structure for Clean Denesting
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing food trays with adhesive edges tend to stick together due to softened glue, making them difficult to separate, especially under hot conditions, and existing denesting systems are prone to contamination or failure.
Innovation Solution
A food tray design featuring a raised central portion with thermoadhesive glue, flanked by lowered portions, and denesting means with stepped portions and ridges that prevent direct contact between glue and the lower edge, allowing easy separation by rotating the trays 180 degrees during stacking.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If a layer of thermoadhesive glue is applied to the edge of the tray to enable sealing film adhesion, then the sealing function is improved, but the trays stick together under hot conditions making separation difficult
Solution Approach 1:
The edge of the tray is divided into different zones: a raised central portion for glue application and lowered portions at the ends. This segmentation allows the glue to be applied only where needed for sealing while preventing contact with the lower edge portions that would cause sticking during separation.
Solution Approach 2:
Different parts of the edge have different properties: the raised central portion is designed to receive and hold thermoadhesive glue for sealing functionality, while the lowered portions are designed to prevent glue contact and enable easy separation. This local differentiation resolves the contradiction between sealing reliability and ease of separation.
2Ease of operation
If denesting means with a recess are used to prevent glue contact, then tray separation is improved, but the protrusion can become dirty and cause glue contamination
Solution Approach 1:
Instead of creating a recess that protrudes upward (which can become contaminated), the invention uses a stepped portion that extends downward. This inversion ensures that the denesting surface is always below the glue level, preventing glue from dripping onto it while maintaining effective separation.
Solution Approach 2:
The stepped portion acts as an intermediary element between the glue layer and the lower edge. It provides a separation surface that is inherently protected from glue contact due to its lowered position, thus preventing contamination while enabling tray separation.
3Reliability
If the edge is designed with a raised central portion for glue application, then sealing reliability is improved, but the complexity of the edge structure increases
Solution Approach 1:
The edge is segmented into a raised central portion and lowered portions at the ends. This segmentation achieves the sealing function while keeping the overall structure relatively simple and manufacturable, avoiding excessive complexity.
Solution Approach 2:
The raised central portion is localized only where glue application is needed, rather than the entire edge being raised. This local differentiation achieves the sealing function with minimal structural complexity.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
Ensures easy unstacking of trays without glue contamination, maintaining cleanliness and facilitating manual or machine separation, even under adverse conditions.
Implementation Method 1
a layer of thermoadhesive glue which, after being applied or spread onto the edge of the tray, acquires a semi-solid appearance, then regaining a certain fluidity by heating during the step of adhering the sealing film
Implementation Method 2
denesting means with stepped portions and ridges that prevent direct contact between glue and the lower edge
Data Source
Figure 1
Figure 2
Figure 3~4
AI summary
The present invention relates to a food tray, in particular a tray having an edge coated with adhesive and unstacking (denesting) means. In particular, the invention relates to a food tray (1) of the type closable by means of a sealing film, comprising a substantially flat bottom (2), side walls (3a, 3b, 3c, 3d) delimiting an inner space (I) of the tray (1), and an edge (4) extending from the side walls (3a, 3b, 3c, 3d) outwards, i.e., in the opposite direction to the inner space (I), wherein the side walls (3a, 3b, 3c, 3d) are joined by angular portions (5), said tray (1) comprising, at said angular portions (5), denesting means (8), characterized in that said denesting means (8) comprise a stepped portion (9) placed at a lowered level with respect to the edge (4), wherein a ridge (10), having an upper surface (10a) placed at an intermediate level between the stepped portion (9) and the edge (4), extends upwards from the stepped portion (9).