Inverted Fruit Tray with Bottom Windows for Visibility

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Solution Overview

Problem

Conventional trays for transporting and presenting fruits or vegetables conceal the products with openable tabs and adhesive labels, limiting visibility and marketing information exposure to consumers.

Innovation Solution

A tray design featuring a bottom wall with windows and an openable wall that covers at least 70% of the bottom wall's surface area, allowing for upside-down presentation to maximize product visibility and marketing information display, while ensuring the products cannot pass through the windows during transport.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Reliability

If the tray uses closed tabs with adhesive labels to secure fruits or vegetables, then product containment and transport security are improved, but product visibility and marketing information exposure are worsened

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveproduct containmentVSAvoidproduct visibility

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSLoss of information

Solution Approach 1:

The tray is designed to be displayed upside down, with the bottom wall facing upward as the display surface. This inversion allows the bottom wall to serve dual purposes: providing structural containment when the tray is right-side up during transport, and serving as the primary visible surface for product display when inverted on the shelf. The bottom wall features windows that remain visible even when inverted, allowing continuous product visibility while maintaining containment integrity.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #13The other way round (Inversion)

Solution Approach 2:

The design shifts the display surface from the traditional top opening to the bottom wall by utilizing the vertical dimension. When the tray is inverted, the bottom wall becomes the top-facing surface, effectively using gravity and orientation change to transform which surface is visible to consumers. This dimensional shift allows the bottom wall to provide both containment structure and display function simultaneously.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #17Another dimension (Dimensionality change)

2Area of stationary object

If the opening wall covers a large surface area (at least 70% of bottom wall area), then marketing information display area is improved, but structural stability and product containment are worsened

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvemarketing information display areaVSAvoidstructural stability

Core Design Contradiction:

Area of stationary objectVSStrength

Solution Approach 1:

By inverting the tray for display, the bottom wall becomes the primary visible surface rather than the opening wall. This allows the bottom wall to provide both structural integrity and large-area display space for marketing information. The bottom wall's inherent structural strength is preserved while serving as the main display surface, eliminating the need to compromise containment for display area.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #13The other way round (Inversion)

Solution Approach 2:

The bottom wall is designed to perform multiple functions simultaneously: it provides structural containment when the tray is right-side up during transport, and serves as the primary display surface for marketing information when inverted on the shelf. This multi-functionality allows a single surface to fulfill both structural and communicative roles without compromise.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #6Universality (Multi-functionality)

3Loss of information

If windows are added to the bottom wall for visibility, then product visibility is improved, but product containment security is worsened

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveproduct visibilityVSAvoidproduct containment security

Core Design Contradiction:

Loss of informationVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

The windows in the bottom wall are designed to be visible when the tray is inverted for display. During transport when the tray is right-side up, the windows face downward and do not compromise containment. When inverted on the shelf, the windows face upward providing product visibility while the surrounding bottom wall material maintains containment security. The orientation change resolves the conflict between visibility and containment.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #13The other way round (Inversion)

Solution Approach 2:

The bottom wall features localized windows with specific dimensions and patterns that provide visibility while maintaining overall structural integrity. The windows are strategically positioned and sized to allow consumers to see products when the tray is inverted, while the surrounding material maintains sufficient strength and continuity to prevent product escape during both transport and display orientations.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #3Local quality

Data Source

PatentEP4242120A1Tray for transporting and displaying fruit or vegetables

Publication Date: 2023.09.13 GOSTICK

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AI summary

Tray (1) for the transport and presentation of fruits or vegetables, obtained by cutting and folding a blank of a semi-rigid material, said tray comprising a bottom wall (2) provided with sides extended by respective side walls (3, 4), said side walls being joined consecutively to form a closed perimeter, and further comprising one or two folding tabs (50) which extend one or two side walls to form an openable wall (5) extending opposite the bottom wall, in which the bottom wall (2) is provided with several windows (20).