Removable Lid Latch Mechanism for Tapering Wall Food Trays
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing food trays with lids lack secure attachment mechanisms, especially for trays with tapering walls and those made of planar wooden sheets, leading to instability and inability to support stacked trays, and existing solutions fail to accommodate variations in tray geometry and moisture exposure.
Innovation Solution
A removable secure lid design featuring a lip and series of latches extending downwardly and inwardly from the lid's perimeter, matching the tray's angle, with strategically placed notches and knobs for secure attachment to trays without a perimeter lip, allowing for secure positioning and weight-bearing capacity.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If a lid is designed to rest upon a tray with tapering walls, then the lid can be easily removed and placed, but the lid becomes unstable and can be easily dislodged
Solution Approach 1:
The latch is nested within the tapering wall structure, with the latch body positioned inside the wall thickness and the engagement portion extending outward to engage with the tray rim. This nesting approach allows the lid to be securely attached while maintaining ease of placement through the self-aligning tapering geometry.
Solution Approach 2:
The latch is designed with flexible engagement portions that can dynamically adjust to accommodate variations in tray geometry and positioning. The latch transitions between a retracted state during placement and an engaged state during use, providing adaptive securing without requiring precise manual alignment.
2Reliability
If a lid is designed to snap onto a tray with complementarily formed rims, then the lid can be securely attached, but trays with tapering walls and no perimeter lip cannot be accommodated
Solution Approach 1:
The latch system serves multiple functions: it engages with the tray rim to provide secure attachment, accommodates tapering wall geometries through its positioning within the wall thickness, and adapts to various tray sizes and shapes through the notching mechanism. This multi-functionality allows a single lid design to work with diverse tray configurations.
Solution Approach 2:
The latch engagement depth and positioning can be varied by changing the notching pattern on the tray walls. By adjusting the location, depth, and shape of notches in the tapering walls, the same latch design can accommodate different tray geometries, sizes, and wall angles, providing universal compatibility.
3Ease of manufacture
If readily biodegradable plastic materials are used for the tray, then compostability is maximized, but structural strength is reduced and premature decomposition occurs
Solution Approach 1:
The system combines readily biodegradable plastic tray material with a reusable rigid lid material. The lid, which requires high strength for stacking and support, is made from durable material, while the tray maintains its compostable properties. This composite approach allows each component to be optimized for its specific functional requirements without compromise.
Data Source
AI summary
A tray includes a floor with walls extending both upwardly and outwardly from said floor to upper edges defining a perimeter. In one embodiment, the walls include opposing side walls and opposing end walls. A lid overlies the tray. The lid includes a perimeter which is similar in size to the tray perimeter. The lid includes latches with upper portions which are spaced apart a greater distance than a width of the tray, and with portions below the upper portions which are closer to each other than the width of the tray. In one embodiment, flanges extend from lower portions of the latches both downwardly and away from the center of the lid. The latches can include knobs extending toward the tray and the walls of the tray can include notches adjacent to the knobs, with the knobs extending into the notches to help secure the lid to the tray.