Compartmented Lunch Box With Leak-Resistant Latch Sealing
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional lunch boxes face challenges in preventing food comingle and effectively containing liquid foods, while also lacking customization options, especially for children, leading to bulky and complex solutions.
Innovation Solution
A lunch box assembly with integral lid and separate compartments that provide a liquid-tight seal, combined with magnetic attachments for personalization, utilizing a durable design with extruded compartments and a latch assembly to prevent shifting and heat transfer.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If separate soup or liquid food containers with threaded lids and integral seals are used, then liquid food containment is improved, but device complexity and bulk increase
Solution Approach 1:
The lunch box is divided into separate compartments, each capable of holding liquid or semi-liquid foods. Each compartment has its own lid that forms a seal, creating independent containment units within the larger container structure.
Solution Approach 2:
The lunch box compartments are designed to serve multiple functions: they can hold both liquid and semi-liquid foods, and the same compartment structure serves both containment and insulation purposes. The lid assembly provides both sealing and thermal insulation functions.
2Adaptability or versatility
If conventional lunch boxes are used, then basic food storage is provided, but food comingle prevention and liquid containment are insufficient
Solution Approach 1:
The interior of the lunch box is divided into multiple separate compartments by partition walls. These compartments physically separate different food items, preventing them from mixing during transport. The segmentation extends to liquid containers which are further divided into portions.
Solution Approach 2:
Different regions of the lunch box are designed with specific properties: compartments for solid foods have different characteristics than those for liquid foods. The lid structures vary by location to provide appropriate sealing for each food type, with liquid compartments having more robust sealing mechanisms.
3Ease of manufacture
If lunch boxes lack personalization options, then manufacturing simplicity is maintained, but user customization capability deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The lunch box incorporates magnetic elements that allow for dynamic reconfiguration and personalization. Magnets can be attached to the exterior surfaces to create customizable designs, and the magnetic closure mechanism allows for easy opening and closing actions.
Solution Approach 2:
The lunch box provides personalization through magnetic attachments that can display various colors, images, and designs. These magnetic elements can be arranged differently to reflect user preferences, movie characters, or promotional themes without changing the base structure.
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
The solution effectively prevents food comingle, securely contains liquids, and allows for personalization through magnetic elements, offering a durable and reusable option for meal transport and storage.
Implementation Method 1
The lunch box can be personalized through the addition of graphic elements in the form of magnet attachments to the exterior
Implementation Method 2
a latch assembly to close the lid and secure the contents
Implementation Method 3
separate interior compartments for the storage and transport of food in such a manner so that the foods will not comingle
Data Source
AI summary
A lunch box assembly having a main housing having a lid rotatably, hingedly attached to a base to provide access to an opened interior of one or more compartments is disclosed. The lid can have ferrously magnetic material and recesses to accept magnets. The magnets can be shaped to fit the recesses. The base can have compartments aligned with corresponding compartments in the lid. The base and the lid can form one or more closed food storage compartments that separate the contents from the neighboring compartments. A latch on the base and lid can produce a clamping force on a small lidded container or containers placed in one or more of the compartments. The clamping force can clamp the lidded container closed and prevent leakage of fluids in the container.