Optimized venue storage apparatus
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing solutions for storing drinks, food, and merchandise at entertainment venues are inefficient and cumbersome, often requiring patrons to balance items on their laps or place them on the ground, leading to issues with sanitation, safety, and convenience.
Innovation Solution
A venue storage apparatus comprising a housing with a drink receptacle and appendages with receptacles, designed to be removably coupled to a venue seat, providing angled appendages for storing foodstuffs, mobile devices, and merchandise, along with a hooking mechanism for securing items and a display device for presenting information.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If patrons balance items on their laps or place them on the ground, then they can hold drinks and foodstuffs, but this creates sanitation issues, safety hazards, and inconvenience
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts the storage function from the patron's body (hands and lap) and relocates it to a dedicated storage apparatus mounted on the seat. The storage apparatus includes a main body with a drink receptacle and multiple appendages with receptacles that extend outwardly, providing designated spaces for drinks, foodstuffs, and merchandise, thereby eliminating the need to balance items on the lap or place them on the ground.
Solution Approach 2:
The storage apparatus acts as an intermediary between the patron and the items they need to carry. Instead of directly holding items in their hands or on their lap, patrons can place items into the receptacles of the storage apparatus, which is mounted on the seat. This intermediary structure provides stable, sanitary, and safe storage while keeping the patron's hands free.
2Ease of operation
If rigid cup holders are added to seats or armrests, then drinks can be held securely, but other items such as foodstuffs, merchandise, and personal property still lack storage space
Solution Approach 1:
The storage apparatus is designed with multi-functionality to address various storage needs. It includes a main body with a drink receptacle for beverages, multiple appendages with receptacles for foodstuffs and merchandise, and a hooking mechanism for securing personal property. This universal design allows a single apparatus to handle diverse items that patrons typically need to carry at entertainment venues.
Solution Approach 2:
The storage apparatus is segmented into multiple functional components: a main body housing, multiple appendages with different receptacles, and a hooking mechanism. Each segment serves a specific storage purpose, allowing patrons to organize different types of items (drinks, food, merchandise, personal property) in designated spaces, thereby enhancing versatility beyond a simple cup holder.
3Adaptability or versatility
If combined beverage and food trays are used, then drinks and food can be stored together, but merchandise and other personal property still require placement on the ground
Solution Approach 1:
The storage apparatus extends the functionality of combined beverage and food trays by adding additional receptacles on appendages and a hooking mechanism. This allows the same apparatus to simultaneously store drinks, foodstuffs, merchandise, and secure personal property, eliminating the need to place additional items on the ground.
4Adaptability or versatility
If multiple receptacles and appendages are added to the housing, then storage capacity increases, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The storage apparatus is divided into modular segments: a main body housing and multiple detachable or attachable appendages. Each appendage can be independently configured with receptacles of different sizes and orientations. This segmentation allows for increased storage capacity while maintaining manageable complexity, as each component can be optimized independently and assembled in a systematic manner.
Data Source
AI summary
Described herein relates to an apparatus for optimized retention and/or storage of a drink, foodstuffs, and/or merchandise configured to be removably and/or permanently coupled to a venue seat and methods thereof. The apparatus may be configured to be removably coupled to at least one portion of a venue seat (e.g., an armrest). The apparatus may include a generally cylindrical sidewall having a central axis. The apparatus may also comprise at least two appendages comprising at least one receptacle having a pair of sidewalls, a front wall, an end wall, a bottom wall, and/or a top end. As such, the at least one receptacle may be configured to retain foodstuffs and/or merchandise. Additionally, the apparatus may comprise at least one hooking mechanism disposed about at least one portion of the at least two appendages, such that a patron may dispose a sack, a bag, and/or apparel about the hooking mechanism.