French Fry Packet with Perforated Lid for Moisture Management
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing packaging solutions for French fries fail to maintain the crispy texture for an extended period, as they do not effectively manage moisture evaporation, leading to sogginess and loss of crunchiness, and are not optimized for easy filling, transportation, and consumer access.
Innovation Solution
A packet design with a one-piece plano structure featuring a concave bottom, tapered side-walls, and perforations in the lid and front/back-walls, with a controlled open area ratio to facilitate moisture escape, allowing the fries to remain crispy for up to 20 minutes, and easy handling and transportation.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If perforations are provided in the packet to enable moisture escape, then the crispiness of french fries is improved, but the structural integrity and containment capability of the packet deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The packet incorporates a porous barrier layer that allows moisture vapor to pass through while maintaining structural integrity. This layer acts as a selective permeable membrane that traps liquid moisture to prevent sogginess while allowing water vapor to escape to maintain crispiness, resolving the contradiction between maintaining packet strength and enabling moisture escape.
Solution Approach 2:
The packet uses a composite structure with multiple functional layers including a porous barrier layer, an outer seal layer, and an inner contact layer. Each layer is designed with specific properties to address different requirements: the porous barrier layer for moisture management, the outer layer for structural strength and sealing, and the inner layer for fry contact and texture preservation, collectively resolving the structural integrity versus moisture escape contradiction.
2Duration of action of stationary object
If the packet is designed to maintain crispiness for extended holding time, then the duration of action is improved, but the ease of operation for easy filling and access deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The packet is divided into separate functional components including a removable lid, a porous barrier layer, and an inner containment layer. The lid can be easily removed for filling and accessing fries, while the porous barrier layer maintains crispiness during holding. This segmentation allows independent optimization of each component for its specific function, resolving the contradiction between extended holding time and ease of operation.
Solution Approach 2:
The packet incorporates a dynamic opening mechanism where the lid can be easily opened and closed, and the porous barrier layer dynamically adjusts moisture vapor transmission based on internal humidity levels. This dynamic behavior allows the packet to switch between easy access mode (lid open) and crispiness maintenance mode (lid closed with controlled vapor escape), resolving the contradiction between holding time and ease of operation.
3Ease of operation
If the packet structure is optimized for easy transportation and handling, then the ease of operation is improved, but the manufacturing complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The packet uses flexible thin film materials for the outer shell and inner layers that can be easily formed into ergonomic shapes for comfortable handling and stacking during transportation. These flexible films are manufactured using conventional forming processes, avoiding complex rigid structures while maintaining ease of operation, thus resolving the contradiction between ease of handling and manufacturing 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
The packet design significantly extends the crispiness of French fries by managing moisture escape through controlled perforations, ensuring they pass a crunchiness test even after 20 minutes, while allowing easy filling and transportation, and providing a user-friendly experience.
Implementation Method 1
perforations that collectively have an open area which is set at a preselected ratio of the total surface area
Data Source
AI summary
A packet (10) for french fries comprising a bottom (11), side walls, a front- and a back-wall (12) and a closable lid (13), which packet has a total surface area and is provided with perforations (8, 8′) that collectively have an open area which is set at a preselected ratio of the total surface area, wherein said perforations are provided in the lid and in the front- and back-wall. The packet is made from a one-piece plano (1) comprising a connecting member (2) that connects on opposite sides of said member to a first and a second side member (3, 4). The first and the second side member are each tapering with an increasing width with increasing distance from the connecting member, wherein said width is measured perpendicularly to a body axis (5) extending through the first and second side member and the connecting member.