Insulating Food Container Lid With Air-Gap Spacer Structure
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing insulating lids for food containers are either ineffective and inexpensive for disposable use or expensive and effective for reusable use, lacking a cost-effective solution that provides improved insulation for both applications.
Innovation Solution
An insulating lid design featuring a base with an upwardly projecting lip and spacer members creating an air pocket between the cover and the base, allowing heated or cooled air to channel into this pocket for enhanced insulation, fabricated from plastic and paperboard materials to be cost-effective for both disposable and reusable containers.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Loss of energy
If foam-filled or vacuum-sealed chambers with rigid plastic or metal are used for insulation, then insulating effectiveness is improved, but manufacturing cost increases making it impractical for disposable applications
Solution Approach 1:
The patent uses a porous absorbent material layer (such as foam or fibrous material) between the inner and outer walls of the container. This porous structure provides thermal insulation through air trapping and reduced thermal conductivity, achieving effective insulation at lower manufacturing costs compared to solid foam-filled or vacuum-sealed chambers, making it suitable for disposable applications.
2Ease of manufacture
If thin wall flexible plastic with bubble-wrap or foam lining is used for disposable containers, then manufacturing cost is reduced, but insulating effectiveness deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The patent employs a composite structure consisting of an inner wall, an outer wall, and a porous absorbent material layer between them. This composite design combines the simplicity and low cost of thin-walled flexible plastic with the insulating properties of the porous material, achieving both cost-effectiveness and improved thermal insulation for disposable containers.
3Ease of manufacture
If simple inexpensive lid structures are used for disposable containers, then manufacturing cost is reduced, but insulating effectiveness deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The lid is segmented into multiple functional layers: an inner lid wall, an outer lid wall, and a porous absorbent material layer between them. This segmentation allows each layer to perform its specific function while maintaining overall cost-effectiveness, providing improved insulation for the lid without significantly increasing manufacturing complexity or cost.
4Loss of energy
If foam-filled or vacuum-sealed chambers are used in reusable containers, then insulating effectiveness is improved, but manufacturing cost increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent uses a porous absorbent material layer between the inner and outer walls, providing effective thermal insulation through its structure that traps air and reduces heat transfer. This approach achieves the insulating effectiveness needed for reusable containers while using cost-effective materials and manufacturing processes.
5Ease of manufacture
If the lid is made with a single solid layer, then manufacturing is simplified, but insulating effectiveness is insufficient
Solution Approach 1:
The lid is constructed as a composite structure with an inner lid wall, an outer lid wall, and a porous absorbent material layer between them. This composite design maintains manufacturing simplicity while significantly improving insulating effectiveness compared to a single solid layer, as the porous material provides superior thermal barriers.
6Ease of manufacture
If container walls are made thin for disposable use, then manufacturing cost is reduced, but thermal insulation performance deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The patent incorporates a porous absorbent material layer between the inner and outer thin walls of the container. This porous layer compensates for the thinness of the walls by providing enhanced thermal insulation through air trapping and reduced thermal conductivity, allowing the use of thin-walled inexpensive materials while maintaining adequate thermal performance for disposable containers.
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 lid provides improved insulation by utilizing an air gap between the cover and base, making it suitable for both disposable and reusable applications while reducing manufacturing costs, enabling efficient temperature maintenance for food containers.
Implementation Method 1
The plurality of spacer members are configured to space the cover a distance from the upper surface of the base to define an insulating space between the cover and the upper surface of the base
Data Source
AI summary
An insulating lid includes a cover having an outer edge and a base. The base includes an upper surface, a lip projecting upwardly from the upper surface about an outer perimeter of the base to define an inner area, and a plurality of spacer members extending upwardly from the upper surface positioned within the inner area. The plurality of spacer members are configured to space the cover a distance from the upper surface of the base to define an insulating space between the cover and the upper surface of the base.