Mini Food Container with Drainage Grooves and Absorbent Pad
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing food storage containers fail to effectively manage excess moisture, leading to premature spoilage and leakage, especially for liquid-exuding products, and do not cater to the increasing demand for smaller, visually displayed, single-serving portions.
Innovation Solution
A container design featuring a tray with parallel grooves that direct liquids to an absorbent material at the bottom, a peelable film for closure, and a transparent, miniaturized format to display and retain liquids, utilizing an absorbent pad with a liquid impervious surface to prevent re-moisturization and pooling.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of manufacture
If the container uses a transparent design for visual display, then the aesthetic appeal and product inspection capability are improved, but the container becomes more susceptible to showing liquid pooling and moisture accumulation
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts the liquid accumulation problem from the visible container space by introducing drainage holes that channel liquid to an absorbent material positioned at the bottom, effectively removing excess moisture from the product environment while maintaining container transparency for display purposes
Solution Approach 2:
The patent introduces an absorbent material as an intermediary component between the product and the container bottom, which mediates the liquid management function by absorbing excess moisture through the drainage holes, preventing liquid pooling while allowing the transparent container to maintain its aesthetic display function
2Adaptability or versatility
If the container is designed for single-serving portions, then the adaptability to consumer demand is improved, but the container structure becomes more complex requiring additional components like absorbent material and drainage systems
Solution Approach 1:
The patent merges multiple functions into a single integrated container structure: the container body provides both display and containment functions, while the absorbent material at the bottom simultaneously performs liquid absorption and structural support, and the drainage holes integrate liquid management directly into the container wall structure
Solution Approach 2:
The patent creates a multi-functional container system where the transparent container serves both aesthetic display and protective containment functions, the absorbent material provides both liquid management and structural base functions, and the drainage holes enable both liquid removal and ventilation functions within a single integrated design
3Reliability
If the container includes drainage holes and absorbent material, then the liquid management capability is improved, but the manufacturing process becomes more complex
Solution Approach 1:
The patent employs porous or permeable structures in the form of drainage holes created in the container wall, which provide effective liquid management pathways while being manufacturable through standard processes such as punching, drilling, or molding techniques commonly used in container fabrication
Solution Approach 2:
The patent optimizes the drainage hole parameters (size, distribution, and positioning) to achieve effective liquid management, and selects absorbent material with appropriate absorption capacity and physical properties, thereby achieving reliable liquid control while maintaining manufacturing feasibility through parameter optimization rather than complex structural changes
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 container effectively absorbs and retains liquids, preventing spoilage and leakage, while allowing visual inspection and consumption from a compact, stackable, and aesthetically pleasing design suitable for smaller servings.
Implementation Method 1
An absorbent material may be positioned on the bottom panel of the tray for absorbing liquids moved downwardly by gravity through the grooves to the bottom panel
Implementation Method 2
one surface of the pad being absorbent material facing the bottom panel and an opposed upper surface being a liquid impervious surface facing away from the bottom panel
Data Source
AI summary
A container for items such as food products that exude liquid includes a tray (12) with a liquid collection space (34) at the bottom of the tray, liquid absorbent pad (18) in said liquid collection space that includes a liquid impervious upper sheet (30), a porous bottom sheet (31) and absorbent material (32) positioned there between. Liquid exuding products are supported on the pad (18) and the tray includes a plurality of upright grooves (27) in the side wall structure that face inwardly that form liquid channels for draining liquid exuded from the food products downwardly to the recessed bottom panel of the tray where the liquid can be absorbed through the bottom sheet by the absorbent material of the pad.