Notched Paper Food Container Assembly for Versatile Base Shapes

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Solution Overview

Problem

Existing paper-based food containers require complex manufacturing processes, generate significant waste, and are limited to housing food products with circular bases, preventing the accommodation of oval or prismatic shapes.

Innovation Solution

A container design comprising two identical paper supports with deformation notches that allow for quick assembly into a three-dimensional structure, enabling easy transportation and recyclability, and accommodating various base shapes through offset base portions and rib configurations.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Ease of manufacture

If deep-drawing paper sheets to create three-dimensional ramekins is used, then containment structures can be formed, but manufacturing complexity increases and production time extends

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvemanufacturing simplicityVSAvoidproduction time

Core Design Contradiction:

Ease of manufactureVSProductivity

Solution Approach 1:

The container is divided into two identical flat laminar supports that can be manufactured independently using simple die-cutting operations. Each support contains pre-formed notches that segment the paper material to define future three-dimensional features, allowing parallel manufacturing and reducing overall production time while maintaining structural integrity through assembly of the segmented parts.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

The notches are pre-formed in the flat laminar supports during the initial die-cutting operation, before the three-dimensional assembly takes place. This preliminary action defines the geometry of future ribs and base portions, eliminating the need for complex deep-drawing operations and enabling simpler, faster manufacturing while preserving the structural features needed for containment.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #10Preliminary action

2Ease of manufacture

If traditional deep-drawing processes are used for ramekins, then three-dimensional containment structures are created, but significant paper waste is generated

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvestructural formation capabilityVSAvoidpaper waste

Core Design Contradiction:

Ease of manufactureVSLoss of substance

Solution Approach 1:

Inventive Principle:

Principle #10Preliminary action

Solution Approach 2:

The design utilizes the entire paper sheet area by strategically positioning multiple container supports and their associated notches to maximize material utilization. The cut patterns are optimized to minimize offcuts, and the modular nature of the flat supports allows efficient nesting and arrangement during manufacturing, significantly reducing paper waste compared to traditional deep-drawing methods.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #34Discarding and recovering

3Ease of manufacture

If circular base portions are used in container design, then simple three-dimensional structures can be formed, but versatility in housing different food product shapes is limited

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvestructural formation simplicityVSAvoidbase shape accommodation

Core Design Contradiction:

Ease of manufactureVSAdaptability or versatility

Solution Approach 1:

The design employs notches with asymmetric geometry relative to the base portion, allowing the same flat laminar support structure to accommodate various base shapes (circular, oval, prismatic, polygonal). The notches are positioned and shaped to define the specific geometry needed for each container type, enabling a single manufacturing process to produce diverse container configurations that match different food product shapes.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #4Asymmetry

4Manufacturing precision

If complex manufacturing processes are used, then precise three-dimensional structures can be achieved, but production costs increase

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvethree-dimensional structure accuracyVSAvoidmanufacturing complexity

Core Design Contradiction:

Manufacturing precisionVSEase of manufacture

Solution Approach 1:

Inventive Principle:

Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

The invention changes the manufacturing parameter from complex deep-drawing operations to simple die-cutting and folding operations. By forming all critical features (notches, ribs, base portions) through flat-sheet processing rather than three-dimensional forming, the manufacturing precision is maintained while the process complexity and cost are significantly reduced.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #35Parameter changes

Data Source

PatentEP4370429B1Food container and method for making the same

Publication Date: 2025.09.03 NOVACART

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AI summary

The present invention relates to a method for making a container for food products comprising the steps of arranging a first and a second paper sheet support, each of which includes respective through notches suitable for defining respective base portions of the first and second supports. The method further comprising arranging the first and second supports in contact with each other, such that the base portion of the first and second supports are superimposed at an superimposition area having a surface extension smaller than a surface extension of the base portion of the first or second support. The method further comprising executing respective steps of deforming the first and second supports to obtain respective containment structures, such that the surface extension of the superimposition area is substantially equal to a surface extension of the base portion of the first or second support. The present invention is further directed to a container realised by said method.