Ice handling container

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Solution Overview

Problem

Traditional ice handling containers face contamination risks, ergonomic constraints, and increased shipping costs due to larger sizes, which hinder efficient handling and sanitization.

Innovation Solution

An improved ice handling container design featuring a bail with a handle and hook for ergonomic handling, a recess for the handle assembly to prevent nesting, and a flared lip to minimize spillage, allowing for sanitary handling and efficient shipping.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Quantity of substance

If containers are configured to hold greater volumes of ice, then ice carrying capacity is improved, but ergonomical constraints increase and user strain increases

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveice carrying capacityVSAvoidergonomical constraints

Core Design Contradiction:

Quantity of substanceVSEase of operation

Solution Approach 1:

The container is divided into a body and a separate handle assembly that can be independently positioned. The handle assembly includes a bail portion that can be attached at different locations on the container body, allowing the center of gravity and handling characteristics to be optimized separately from the ice-carrying volume.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

The handle assembly is designed to be movable and adjustable rather than fixed. The bail can be attached at different positions on the container body, and the handle can be positioned at different locations on the bail, allowing dynamic adjustment of the container's handling characteristics to reduce user strain while maintaining large capacity.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #15Dynamics

2Quantity of substance

If containers are configured to hold greater volumes of ice, then ice carrying capacity is improved, but the risk of contamination increases

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveice carrying capacityVSAvoidcontamination risk

Core Design Contradiction:

Quantity of substanceVSObject-affected harmful factors

Solution Approach 1:

The handle assembly is extracted as a separate, removable component from the container body. This allows the handle assembly to be easily removed and sanitized separately from the ice-contacting portions of the container, reducing cross-contamination risks while maintaining the ability to handle large-volume containers.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #2Taking out (Extraction)

Solution Approach 2:

The handle assembly can be easily detached and set aside during the sanitization process, allowing dedicated cleaning of both the handle assembly and the container body. This separation ensures that handling surfaces and ice-contacting surfaces are sanitized independently, reducing contamination risks.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #34Discarding and recovering

3Quantity of substance

If containers are configured to hold greater volumes of ice, then ice carrying capacity is improved, but shipping costs increase

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveice carrying capacityVSAvoidshipping costs

Core Design Contradiction:

Quantity of substanceVSLoss of energy

Solution Approach 1:

The handle assembly is designed to nest within the container body when not in use. The bail portion can be positioned inside the container opening, and the handle can be stored against the container body, significantly reducing the shipping volume required per container while maintaining large ice-carrying capacity.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #7Nested doll (Nesting)

Solution Approach 2:

The handle assembly transitions from a three-dimensional protruding structure during use to a two-dimensional flat configuration during shipping. The bail and handle can be collapsed or positioned against the container body, reducing the vertical and horizontal dimensions occupied during shipping while preserving full functionality during use.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #17Another dimension (Dimensionality change)

4Quantity of substance

If containers are configured to hold greater volumes of ice, then ice carrying capacity is improved, but the container size prohibits use in standard dishmachines

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveice carrying capacityVSAvoidcompatibility with standard dishmachines

Core Design Contradiction:

Quantity of substanceVSAdaptability or versatility

Solution Approach 1:

The handle assembly is extracted as a removable component that can be detached before sanitization. This allows the container body to be placed in standard dishmachines for washing while the handle assembly can be sanitized separately, enabling sanitization of large-capacity containers that would otherwise be too large for standard dishmachine compartments.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #2Taking out (Extraction)

Solution Approach 2:

The container is segmented into the body and handle assembly, allowing the body to be sanitized in standard dishmachines while the handle assembly is sanitized separately. This segmentation enables large-capacity containers to maintain compatibility with standard sanitization infrastructure.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #1Segmentation

Data Source

PatentUS9657981B2Ice handling container

Publication Date: 2017.05.23 ECOLAB USA INC

AI summary

The invention is an improved ice handling container and methods for using the container. The container includes a bottom wall with upstanding sidewalls terminating in a mouth. A bail having an apex and opposing ends is pivotally attached to opposing sidewalls of the container. The bail has a handle generally at the apex and a hook extending generally outwardly from the bail generally near the apex of the bail for hanging the container with the mouth facing generally upward. One sidewall has a handle generally adjacent the bottom wall and a hook generally adjacent the handle extending generally outwardly and upwardly from the sidewall for hanging the container with the mouth facing generally downward.