Multi-compartment Container Segmentation for Freshness Preservation

Solution Overview

Problem

Bulk or 'economy' size packaging of consumer and commercial products often results in spoilage or staleness due to exposure to air and moisture once the package is opened, as existing single compartment containers expose the entire contents to environmental conditions each time access is made.

Innovation Solution

Multi-compartment containers with separately sealed compartments that allow users to access and use a portion of the product while keeping the remaining portion protected from air and moisture, using internal dividers to separate the compartments within containers such as bags, boxes, cartons, and cans.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Quantity of substance

If bulk or economy size single compartment packaging is used, then cost savings per serving are achieved, but product freshness and potency are lost due to exposure to air and moisture

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvebulk packaging quantityVSAvoidexposure to air and moisture

Core Design Contradiction:

Quantity of substanceVSObject-affected harmful factors

Solution Approach 1:

The container is divided into multiple separate compartments that can be individually opened and closed. This allows the product to be segmented into portions, where only the accessed compartment is exposed to air and moisture while remaining compartments stay sealed and fresh. The segmentation principle directly resolves the contradiction by enabling bulk packaging while protecting most of the product from harmful environmental factors.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #1Segmentation

2Ease of operation

If the package is opened to access product, then usability is improved, but the entire contents are exposed to air and moisture causing spoilage

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveproduct accessibilityVSAvoidproduct freshness maintenance

Core Design Contradiction:

Ease of operationVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

The container is divided into multiple separate compartments that can be individually opened and closed. This allows the product to be segmented into portions, where only the accessed compartment is exposed to air and moisture while remaining compartments stay sealed and fresh. The segmentation principle directly resolves the contradiction by enabling bulk packaging while protecting most of the product from harmful environmental factors.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #1Segmentation

3Object-affected harmful factors

If preservatives are removed from products, then product safety is improved, but susceptibility to spoilage upon air exposure increases

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvepreservative removal benefitVSAvoidproduct shelf life after opening

Core Design Contradiction:

Object-affected harmful factorsVSDuration of action of stationary object

Solution Approach 1:

The container is divided into multiple separate compartments that can be individually opened and closed. This allows the product to be segmented into portions, where only the accessed compartment is exposed to air and moisture while remaining compartments stay sealed and fresh. The segmentation principle directly resolves the contradiction by enabling bulk packaging while protecting most of the product from harmful environmental factors.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

The container is pre-divided into multiple sealed compartments before the product is purchased. This preliminary segmentation allows the consumer to access only the needed portion while the rest remains protected without requiring preservatives. The preliminary action of creating separate sealed portions enables preservative-free products to maintain freshness longer.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #10Preliminary action

Data Source

PatentUS11230411B2Multi-compartment containers

Publication Date: 2022.01.25 GERSOVITZ GERRY

AI summary

Multi-compartment containers including multi-compartment cans, canisters, boxes and bags and methods for using the same are disclosed. Multi-compartment containers that provide access to one portion of the contents until depleted while maintaining a seal and thus protecting the freshness or potency, of the contents on another portion allows products to be packaged and sold in a way that maintains freshness and potency longer. Each compartment of the multi-compartment containers can be configured to have either a single-use or re-sealable seal.