Extruded Meat Container with Integrated Fluid Passageways
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional packages for fresh meat, which include absorbent pads to collect fluid, are costly, inefficient in shipping due to stack height issues, and consumers dislike handling soaked pads, while also potentially accelerating seafood spoilage by contact with liquids.
Innovation Solution
A container with an extruded polymeric base panel featuring elongate interior passageways and openings that allow fluid from the meat to flow into and be retained within these passageways, eliminating the need for absorbent pads by using the container's design to separate and collect fluids.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If absorbent pads are used to collect fluid from fresh meat, then fluid separation is achieved, but package cost increases and stack height increases reducing shipping efficiency
Solution Approach 1:
The patent merges the fluid collection function directly into the container base panel by forming integrally formed receptacles within the base panel itself. This eliminates the need for separate absorbent pads while achieving the same fluid separation function, thereby reducing package complexity and cost while maintaining reliability.
Solution Approach 2:
The base panel is designed to serve multiple functions: it provides structural support for the fresh meat and simultaneously contains integrated receptacles for fluid collection. This multi-functionality eliminates the need for separate absorbent pads, reducing both device complexity and shipping volume while maintaining effective fluid separation.
2Reliability
If absorbent pads are used to collect fluid from fresh meat, then fluid separation is achieved, but shipping efficiency decreases due to increased stack height
Solution Approach 1:
The patent merges the fluid collection function directly into the container base panel by forming integrally formed receptacles within the base panel itself. This eliminates the need for separate absorbent pads while achieving the same fluid separation function, thereby reducing package complexity and cost while maintaining reliability.
Solution Approach 2:
The base panel is designed to serve multiple functions: it provides structural support for the fresh meat and simultaneously contains integrated receptacles for fluid collection. This multi-functionality eliminates the need for separate absorbent pads, reducing both device complexity and shipping volume while maintaining effective fluid separation.
3Reliability
If absorbent pads are used to collect fluid from fresh meat, then fluid separation is achieved, but consumer experience deteriorates due to handling soaked pads
Solution Approach 1:
The patent merges the fluid collection function directly into the container base panel by forming integrally formed receptacles within the base panel itself. This eliminates the need for separate absorbent pads while achieving the same fluid separation function, thereby reducing package complexity and cost while maintaining reliability.
4Reliability
If absorbent pads are used to collect fluid from fresh meat, then fluid separation is achieved, but spoilage acceleration occurs due to contact with liquids
Solution Approach 1:
The patent segments the container base panel into multiple functional zones: a flat upper surface for supporting fresh meat and integrally formed receptacles for fluid collection. This segmentation creates physical separation between the meat and collected fluids, preventing spoilage while maintaining effective fluid separation through the integrated 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
This solution reduces packaging costs, improves shipping efficiency, minimizes consumer discomfort with soaked pads, and helps prevent seafood spoilage by effectively separating liquids from fresh meat, enhancing the overall packaging performance.
Implementation Method 1
A plurality of openings can be respectively open to the plurality of interior passageways. The plurality of openings can be configured to allow fluid from the fresh meat and/or other content(s) in the container to flow into the plurality of interior passageways.
Implementation Method 2
opposite end sections of at least some of the interior passageways can be closed to at least partially define compartments for receiving and retaining the fluid
Data Source
AI summary
A container configured for at least partially containing fresh meat can include a base panel above which an interior space of the container is defined. The base panel can be configured to support fresh meat, and elongate interior passageways can be at least partially defined by the base panel. Openings can be respectively open to the plurality of interior passageways for allowing fluid from the fresh meat in the interior space of the container to flow into the interior passageways. The container can be configured to at least partially retain the fluid in the interior passageways, including opposite end sections of at least some of the interior passageways being closed to at least partially define compartments for receiving and retaining the fluid.