Food Tray Divider Support for Separate Heated Compartments
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing containers and trays lack effective features for separating and supporting dividers to maintain the integrity and separation of different food products with varying moisture content, taste, texture, or temperature, especially when used for portioned retail food products.
Innovation Solution
A tray design comprising a combination of upper and lower constructs with foldable panels and support panels, along with divider features that can be integrated to form compartments for separating food products, using materials like paperboard or polyethylene terephthalate (PET) with optional liners for heating compatibility.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If existing containers and trays are used without divider features, then the structure is simple and easy to manufacture, but they cannot effectively separate and support dividers to maintain the integrity and separation of different food products
Solution Approach 1:
The tray is divided into multiple compartments by divider features that partition the interior space. These dividers create separate sections for different food products, allowing them to be stored and transported independently while maintaining product integrity and preventing commingling.
Solution Approach 2:
The divider features are integrated within the tray structure, with dividers nested inside the tray body. The support panels are embedded within the tray walls, creating a nested configuration where the divider system is contained within the overall tray structure, maintaining compactness while adding functionality.
2Reliability
If divider features are added to separate food products, then product separation and integrity are maintained, but the tray structure becomes more complex
Solution Approach 1:
The divider features are merged with the tray construction by integrating support panels into the tray walls and forming dividers as integral parts of the tray structure. This combining approach maintains product separation functionality while reducing the need for separate, standalone divider components.
Solution Approach 2:
The support panels serve multiple functions: they provide structural support for the dividers, reinforce the tray walls, and help maintain the rigidity of the overall container. This multi-functionality reduces the need for additional components while achieving both structural integrity and product separation.
3Stability of the object's composition
If support panels are integrated to form supports for dividers, then divider stability is improved, but manufacturing complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The support panels are pre-formed as integral parts of the tray during the molding process, rather than being added as separate components afterward. This preliminary integration ensures proper positioning and structural support for the dividers while simplifying the overall manufacturing process by reducing assembly steps.
Data Source
AI summary
A tray for holding food products includes an upper construct having a rim panel and a plurality of side panels foldably connected to the rim panel, a lower construct having a bottom panel, a plurality of lower side panels, a plurality of support panels, and a plurality of upper side panels, the plurality of support panels forming a support in the interior of the tray, the plurality of upper side panels of the lower construct extend at least partially around an upper compartment in the interior of the tray and the plurality of lower side panels of the lower construct extend at least partially around a lower compartment in the interior of the tray, and divider features for at least partially separating the upper compartment from the lower compartment in the interior of the tray, the divider features including the support arranged for at least partially supporting a divider.