Personal assistance accessory for dinnerware
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Visually impaired and disabled individuals face difficulties in eating from standard tableware due to inability to see food clearly and control utensils, with existing assistive plates and bowls not effectively addressing the issue of food portion identification and rim visibility.
Innovation Solution
A lighted rim accessory for plates, bowls, and glasses that uses LED lighting and colored illumination to clarify food portions and provide a raised rim for easy scooping, with a removable battery and dishwasher-safe design for easy attachment and maintenance.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If a raised rim is added to assist scooping, then ease of operation is improved, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The accessory is divided into separate functional components: a C-shaped wall structure that attaches to the plate rim, and a separate lighting element that can be attached to the wall. This segmentation allows the raised rim function to be added without requiring complex integration, and the lighting can be independently installed or removed.
Solution Approach 2:
The C-shaped wall structure serves multiple functions: it creates a raised rim to facilitate scooping, provides a mounting surface for the lighting element, and can be attached to various plate sizes through its flexible yet stiff material construction. This multi-functionality reduces overall device complexity by combining several features into one component.
2Illumination intensity
If lighting elements are added to illuminate food portions, then visibility is improved, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The lighting system is segmented from the main plate accessory structure. The lighting element is a separate component that attaches to the C-shaped wall, allowing independent installation, adjustment, and removal. This segmentation prevents the lighting complexity from being permanently integrated into the base structure.
Solution Approach 2:
The C-shaped wall is made of flexible yet stiff material that can accommodate the attachment of lighting elements along its circumference. The flexibility allows the wall to conform to different plate sizes while maintaining structural integrity, and the thin-film nature enables easy attachment of lightweight lighting components without adding significant bulk or complexity.
3Adaptability or versatility
If the accessory is made attachable to various dinnerware, then adaptability is improved, but manufacturing precision requirements increase
Solution Approach 1:
The C-shaped wall is constructed from flexible yet stiff material that can elastically deform during attachment and then maintain a secure fit. This flexibility compensates for variations in plate rim dimensions and tolerances, allowing the same accessory to fit various plate sizes without requiring precision manufacturing for each specific plate dimension.
Solution Approach 2:
The accessory design allows for parameter adjustments in the C-shaped wall geometry (such as arc length, depth, and cross-sectional shape) to optimize fit for different plate sizes. By varying these parameters within a family of designs, the accessory can adapt to different dinnerware while maintaining manufacturable tolerances through the flexible material properties.
4Ease of operation
If battery and lights are made removable, then ease of operation is improved, but reliability decreases
Solution Approach 1:
The electrical components (battery and lighting element) are segmented as separate removable modules from the C-shaped wall structure. This segmentation enables easy removal for cleaning the plate and accessory, while standardized connectors ensure reliable electrical connections during use. The modular design allows quick assembly and disassembly without compromising connection integrity.
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
Enhances visibility and accessibility of food portions, facilitating easier food handling and identification of food types, while being adaptable to various tableware sizes and easy to clean.
Implementation Method 1
A light emission element 5 is attached around the wall. For example, a string of battery-powered light bulbs may be attached circumferentially from end 12 to end 13 around an upper portion of the outer surface 4 of the wall. Light emitting diodes (LEDs) may be used.
Data Source
AI summary
A wall of material around the rim of a dinner plate, bowl, or drinking glass. A light emitter and battery are removably or integrally attached to the wall. The light emitter may emit different colored lighting from different circumferential sections of the wall toward food or drink in the dinnerware. A removable version of the wall may be C-shaped, with a circumferential groove on an inner surface of the wall that receives the rim of the dinnerware. Mirrors on the wall may reflect the light inward toward food in the dinnerware, and may direct some of the light across the gap in a C-shaped wall. The wall may be translucent or transparent, with the emitter and battery attached to an outer surface of the wall.