Interconnecting Beverage Bottle Design for Stable Secondary Structures
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current bottle designs lack the ability to interconnect stably in both vertical and horizontal orientations, preventing the formation of sturdy secondary structures from standard beverage bottles, which leads to waste and inefficient use of materials.
Innovation Solution
The design incorporates a recess in the lower surface to receive the neck of another bottle for vertical stacking and side recesses for perpendicular connections, allowing for semi-permanent locking and enabling the creation of stable structures by reusing standard beverage bottles.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If bottles are designed with traditional stacking features (protrusions and recesses on sides), then horizontal connection is enabled, but the natural shape of the bottle is disrupted causing discomfort when used as a beverage vessel
Solution Approach 1:
The connection features (protrusions and recesses) are extracted from the side surfaces of the bottle and relocated to the top and bottom surfaces. Specifically, the bottom surface includes protrusions that connect to recesses in the top surface of another bottle, enabling horizontal connection without disrupting the side profile or grip comfort of the bottle.
2Productivity
If bottles are designed for vertical stacking only, then storage efficiency is improved, but the ability to form stable secondary structures with multiple orientations is limited
Solution Approach 1:
The bottle design incorporates multiple connection interfaces: top surface recesses, bottom surface protrusions, and side surface features. This multi-functional connection system allows bottles to be connected in various orientations (vertical stacking, horizontal connection, perpendicular arrangements), enabling the formation of diverse stable structures while maintaining storage efficiency.
3Device complexity
If bottles are connected using traditional methods (bands or friction-fit protrusions), then connection is achieved, but the structures lack stability and cannot form standalone secondary products
Solution Approach 1:
The connection mechanism uses nested protrusions and recesses where one bottle's protrusions fit into another bottle's recesses. The bottom surface protrusions nest into top surface recesses, creating interlocking connections that provide structural stability without requiring additional bands or complex fastening mechanisms.
4Loss of substance
If standard beverage bottles are discarded after use, then waste material is reduced, but the potential for reuse and material efficiency is lost
Solution Approach 1:
The invention enables recovery and reuse of discarded beverage bottles by providing connection features that allow empty bottles to be assembled into stable secondary structures such as storage units, furniture, or architectural elements. The protrusions and recesses enable permanent or semi-permanent assembly, transforming waste bottles into functional reusable structures.
Data Source
AI summary
The present invention consists of a water or soda bottle or vessel which is designed to allow for the bottle to interconnect with other bottles of similar design and standard dimensions to form useful second use products. A recess in the lower surface of the bottle receives the neck of another storage bottle. There are recesses perpendicular to the vertical axis of the bottle capable of receiving the mating side recess of another storage bottle. There are two such recesses on each storage bottle, one on each side of the bottle, parallel to each other. This allows for a bottle positioned on its side perpendicular to a vertically positioned bottle to be used to connect two vertically perpendicular storage bottles.