Interlocking Plate Attachment Assembly for Secure Cup Stacking
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing food container attachment systems fail to securely interlock with a drinking cup and allow for stacking of multiple containers, lacking a secure locking mechanism that prevents spilling and facilitates single-handed carrying.
Innovation Solution
A plate attachment assembly featuring interlocking plate shells with locking tabs and protrusions, designed to securely attach to a drinking cup and stack multiple containers, utilizing a locking configuration that prevents lateral movement and allows for secure stacking.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If a plate attachment assembly incorporates a cover and is capable of attaching to a drinking cup, then it can hold food and be carried with a drinking cup, but it cannot securely interlock and stack multiple assemblies on top of each other or onto the cup
Solution Approach 1:
The plate attachment assembly is divided into separate functional components: a first plate shell with locking tab, a second plate shell with receiving aperture, and a cover. This segmentation allows each component to perform its specific function while enabling the entire assembly to interlock securely through the locking tab and aperture mechanism, resolving the contradiction between versatility and reliability
Solution Approach 2:
The design enables nested stacking where multiple plate attachment assemblies can be stacked on top of each other, and the entire assembly can stack onto a drinking cup. The locking tab of one assembly fits into the receiving aperture of another, creating a nested structure that maintains security while enhancing adaptability
2Ease of operation
If known plate attachment assemblies consist of a plate clipping onto a drinking cup without a cover, then they can attach to the cup, but they cannot prevent food from spilling or provide secure stacking
Solution Approach 1:
The invention merges the attachment function (plate clipping to cup) with the food containment function (cover) and the stacking function (locking tab and aperture) into a single integrated assembly. This combination ensures that food is contained while maintaining ease of attachment and enabling secure stacking, resolving the contradiction between operational simplicity and reliability
3Reliability
If plate attachment assemblies are designed to interlock and stack securely, then they can be carried in one hand, but they lack the capability to attach to a drinking cup
Solution Approach 1:
The plate attachment assembly is designed with multi-functionality: it can interlock securely with other assemblies through the locking tab and aperture, attach to a drinking cup via the cup support sidewall, and contain food with the cover. This universal design resolves the contradiction by enabling the assembly to perform multiple functions simultaneously, including both secure stacking and cup attachment
Data Source
AI summary
A plate attachment assembly that includes a first plate shell and a second plate shell configured to interlock with one another. The first plate shell comprises a bottom wall and a surrounding sidewall with a flange disposed around the perimeter. The flange includes at least one locking tab with a locking protrusion. The second plate shell comprises a bottom wall and a surrounding sidewall with a flange disposed around the perimeter. The flange includes at least one locking tab receiving aperture and a notch shaped to correspond with the locking protrusion of the first plate shell. The first and second plate shells also include various different support walls on a bottom surface configured to secure the assembly to a drinking cup and/or another plate attachment assembly.