Frusto-Ellipsoid Container for Compact Manual Mixing
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing food storage containers designed for mixing often result in oversized designs with increased material and manufacturing costs, while also occupying a larger footprint, which is undesirable for storage and transportation.
Innovation Solution
A container with an oblong or frusto-ellipsoid shape featuring elliptic openings and mixing chambers in the lid and base, allowing for efficient mixing by rotating about a laterally horizontal axis, reducing the size and footprint while ensuring sufficient mixing without excessive effort.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If the interior volume of the container is increased to provide more room for contents to move during mixing, then the mixing effectiveness is improved, but the container footprint and size increase
Solution Approach 1:
The container employs a frusto-ellipsoid shape with curved surfaces instead of flat or angular geometries. This curvature allows the contents to move more effectively during mixing while maintaining a compact overall form factor, resolving the contradiction between mixing effectiveness and container footprint.
Solution Approach 2:
The container uses an elliptic opening with specific conjugate diameter ratios (D1/D2 > 1, D3/D4 > 1, D5/D6 > 1) creating an asymmetric geometry that optimizes mixing dynamics. This asymmetric design enables effective mixing motion within a reduced footprint by directing content movement along optimized paths.
2Ease of operation
If the container size is increased to allow for manual mixing, then the mixing capability is improved, but the material and manufacturing costs increase
Solution Approach 1:
The invention optimizes specific geometric parameters including the conjugate diameter ratios of the elliptic opening (D1/D2, D3/D4, D5/D6 all greater than 1) and the frusto-ellipsoid dimensions to achieve effective mixing in a smaller volume. This parameter optimization allows reduced material usage and lower manufacturing costs while maintaining mixing capability.
3Ease of operation
If the container size is increased to provide mixing space, then the mixing room is improved, but the storage and transportation efficiency deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The frusto-ellipsoid shape with curved surfaces maximizes the internal mixing space relative to the external volume. This geometry allows contents to move freely during mixing while minimizing the overall container volume, thereby improving storage and transportation efficiency without sacrificing mixing room.
Solution Approach 2:
The invention transitions from a conventional cylindrical or rectangular geometry to a frusto-ellipsoid form, utilizing three-dimensional curvature to create efficient mixing space. This dimensional optimization provides adequate mixing room within a reduced external volume envelope.
Data Source
AI summary
A container for manually mixing contents therein includes a base and a lid, and when formed has a first horizontal axis, a second horizontal axis, and a vertical axis that is perpendicular to the horizontal axes. The base defines an elliptic-shaped base opening and a base chamber having two conjugate diameters D1 and D2 proximate the base opening. The lid defines an elliptic-shaped lid opening and a lid chamber having the two conjugate diameters D1 and D2 proximate the lid opening. The diameter D1 extends in a direction of the first horizontal axis and the diameter D2 extends in a direction of the second horizontal axis. A ratio of D1 to D2 is greater than 1. The container also includes grips for manually mixing the contents within the base and lid chambers by rotating the container about the second horizontal axis.