Modular Storage Container With Inner Bin and Airflow Lid
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Consumers face inefficiencies in storing diverse retail-packaged products due to varying sizes and configurations, leading to space wastage and challenges in retaining product information, managing partial containers, and maintaining food freshness.
Innovation Solution
A container system with a modular design that includes a container housing with a removable cover to store product information, a sub-container for separating old and new products, and a lid with stand-offs for airflow, allowing for efficient storage and organization of products while maintaining freshness.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If consumers store products in their retail packaging, then the original package configuration is maintained, but storage space efficiency deteriorates due to varying sizes and shapes
Solution Approach 1:
The invention divides the storage system into modular components: uniform outer containers for space-efficient stacking, and removable inner packages that hold the actual retail products. This segmentation allows the outer containers to be standardized for optimal space utilization while the inner packages maintain product-specific configurations.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent implements a nested structure where retail packages (inner packages) are placed inside uniform outer containers. The inner package fits within the outer container like a doll inside another doll, allowing diverse product configurations to be accommodated within standardized storage units that optimize shelf or cabinet space.
2Loss of information
If consumers remove product information from original packaging and attach it to the outside of storage containers, then information retention is improved, but ease of accessing information deteriorates due to being buried among food items
Solution Approach 1:
The invention extracts product information from the original retail packaging and places it on the exterior surface of the uniform outer container. This extraction ensures information is not lost during the decanting process while making it easily visible and accessible without needing to dig through the stored food items.
Solution Approach 2:
The uniform outer container serves as an intermediary between the original packaging (which contains the information) and the stored food items. The container's exterior acts as a mediator that displays product information in an accessible location, eliminating the need to physically search through the contents to find labeling information.
3Reliability
If consumers store backup containers of new product until the old product is completely empty, then product freshness is maintained, but storage space efficiency deteriorates due to redundant containers
Solution Approach 1:
The invention merges the storage of old and new products into a single uniform container system. When the old product is depleted, the new retail package is simply placed inside the same outer container, eliminating the need to maintain separate backup containers and reducing overall storage space requirements while preserving product freshness through proper sealing.
4Area of stationary object
If consumers stack containers of warm food to save space, then storage space efficiency is improved, but food safety deteriorates due to prevented airflow and cooling
Solution Approach 1:
The uniform container design incorporates specific structural features at critical locations (such as elevated bases or integrated ventilation channels) that maintain local airflow pathways even when containers are stacked. This localized quality enhancement ensures that while space is optimized through stacking, essential cooling airflow can still reach the food contents.
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 system optimizes storage space by keeping product information accessible, separates old and new products, and ensures airflow for maintaining food freshness, thus addressing the inefficiencies and challenges of storing diverse retail-packaged products.
Implementation Method 1
a lid with stand-offs for airflow, allowing for efficient storage and organization of products while maintaining freshness
Data Source
AI summary
Pursuant to some embodiments, a container system includes a main container having a bottom wall and a plurality of sidewalls integrally connected to the sidewalls, the bottom wall and sidewalls having an interior face defining an interior holding area of the main container, a container coupling formed in or on at least one of the interior faces of at least one of the sidewalls within the interior holding area of the main container, and a sub-container adapted to be removably coupled to the container coupling and disposed in the interior holding area of the main container, the sub-container having a bottom wall integrally connected with a plurality of sidewalls of the sub-container, the bottom wall and sidewalls of the sub-container having an interior face defining an interior holding area of the sub-container.