Nested Paper Cup Annular Foot Liner Storage

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Solution Overview

Problem

Existing disposable paper cups have limited storage space between nested cups, making them inadequate for storing small items like instant foods, and existing solutions involving different-sized cups with plastic materials are costly and difficult to implement with paper materials.

Innovation Solution

A nested paper cup design featuring an annular foot and a liner with a bent annular side wall that provides a larger storage space between nested cups, allowing for adjustable storage by replacing liners of different heights, and incorporating convex portions for enhanced clamping and anti-scalding functionality.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Volume of stationary object

If the interval between nested paper cups is minimized to save storage space, then storage space efficiency is improved, but the food storage space in the interval becomes insufficient

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvestorage space efficiencyVSAvoidfood storage space
Core Design Contradiction:
Volume of stationary objectVSQuantity of substance

Solution Approach 1:

The invention divides the cup structure into separate functional components: the cup body for beverage storage and the annular foot with liner for food storage. This segmentation allows the food storage function to be separated from the main cup body, enabling the interval to remain small for storage efficiency while the annular foot provides dedicated food storage space.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

The invention transitions from utilizing only the vertical interval dimension to creating a radial food storage dimension through the annular foot structure. The annular foot extends horizontally from the cup bottom, providing food storage space in the radial direction while maintaining minimal vertical interval between nested cups.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #17Another dimension (Dimensionality change)

2Quantity of substance

If different-sized cups are used to create food storage space, then food storage space is improved, but the cost increases due to using plastic materials and multiple cup sizes

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvefood storage spaceVSAvoidmanufacturing cost
Core Design Contradiction:
Quantity of substanceVSEase of manufacture

Solution Approach 1:

The invention makes a single cup size serve multiple functions: the cup body for beverage storage and the annular foot with liner for food storage. This multi-functionality eliminates the need for multiple cup sizes, allowing standardization of the cup body while adding the food storage feature through the annular foot structure.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #6Universality (Multi-functionality)

Solution Approach 2:

The invention changes the structural parameters of the cup bottom by adding the annular foot with liner, transforming it from a simple flat bottom to a multi-component structure that provides food storage. This parameter change enables food storage functionality without requiring different cup sizes or plastic materials.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #35Parameter changes

3Strength

If a concave-convex supporting structure is added to the side portion of paper cups, then structural support is improved, but manufacturing difficulty increases with paper materials

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvestructural supportVSAvoidmanufacturing complexity
Core Design Contradiction:
StrengthVSEase of manufacture

Solution Approach 1:

The invention uses a liner made of flexible paper material that can be formed into the required shape and then adhered to the cup bottom. The liner's flexibility allows it to conform to the cup body while providing the necessary supporting structure, avoiding the need for complex rigid concave-convex structures that would be difficult to manufacture with paper.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #30Flexible shells and thin films

Solution Approach 2:

The invention employs a disposable liner that is adhered to the cup bottom to provide structural support. This approach uses a simple, inexpensive paper component that can be easily manufactured and discarded with the cup, avoiding the need for complex, durable supporting structures that would increase manufacturing complexity.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #27Cheap short-living objects (Disposable)

Data Source

PatentEP4039610A1Nested paper cup
Publication Date: 2022.08.10 KRAFTPACK (HUBEI) IND CO LTD
  • EP4039610A1 patent drawingFigure 1~2
  • EP4039610A1 patent drawingFigure 3~4
  • EP4039610A1 patent drawingFigure 5

AI summary

The invention solves a storage space problem of an existing nested paper cup. A nested paper cup comprising a cup body, a bottom of the cup body being provided with an annular foot, a liner is arranged on an inner side of the cup bottom, when two identical cup bodies above are nested along up and down direction, the internally nested cup body is an upper cup body , the cup body located outside the upper cup body is a lower cup body, and a annular foot of the upper cup body abuts against the top of the liner in the lower cup body and a space is formed by the annular foot and the side wall of the liner. When a food storage space needs to be adjusted, a manufacturer only needs to replace the liners with different heights to adjust the food storage space.