Packaging Tray With Gas Cushion Insulation
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing packaging trays are difficult to produce and have handling issues, particularly during or after heating of the product, due to their design and material properties.
Innovation Solution
A packaging tray with a paperboard structure and a thermoformable plastic insert, featuring a gas cushion between the cardboard and plastic components, which provides insulation and additional storage space, and a sealing mechanism that allows for easy detachment and re-use.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Stability of the object's composition
If the insert and cardboard structure are joined closely together, then the structural stability is improved, but the handling during and after heating becomes difficult
Solution Approach 1:
The packaging is divided into two separate components: an inner insert and an outer cardboard structure. These components are kept separable through the gas cushion design, allowing them to be handled independently during heating and after use, resolving the contradiction between structural stability and ease of handling during heating.
Solution Approach 2:
A gas cushion acts as an intermediary layer between the insert and the cardboard structure. This gas layer provides thermal insulation during heating, prevents direct heat transfer that would cause the cardboard to soften, and maintains structural integrity while allowing easy handling of the heated contents.
2Manufacturing precision
If the insert is made to fit tightly within the cardboard structure, then the manufacturing precision is improved, but the insulation and handling properties deteriorate
Solution Approach 1:
The gas cushion serves as a thermal intermediary layer between the hot insert contents and the cardboard structure. This gas layer has low thermal conductivity, preventing heat from the inserted product from transferring to the cardboard, thereby protecting the cardboard from heat damage while maintaining manufacturing precision.
Solution Approach 2:
The invention utilizes a gas (pneumatic) cushion rather than a solid or liquid barrier. The gas layer provides effective thermal insulation due to its low density and low thermal conductivity, creating a heat barrier that protects the cardboard structure from thermal damage while maintaining the structural integrity of the packaging.
3Device complexity
If the insert and cardboard structure are in direct contact, then the device complexity is reduced, but the insulation performance and storage functionality are lost
Solution Approach 1:
The packaging system is segmented into distinct functional zones: the inner insert for product containment, the gas cushion for insulation and storage, and the outer cardboard structure for structural support. This segmentation creates a multi-functional system that provides both thermal insulation and additional storage space without excessive complexity.
Solution Approach 2:
The gas cushion serves multiple functions simultaneously: it provides thermal insulation to prevent heat transfer to the cardboard, creates additional storage space for accessories or information, and maintains the structural separation between insert and cardboard. This multi-functionality reduces energy loss through insulation while avoiding the need for separate components for each function.
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 solution enhances handling and insulation by maintaining a gap between the cardboard and plastic components, reducing contact and allowing for temperature differences, while providing additional storage space and easy assembly/disassembly.
Implementation Method 1
a gas cushion, in particular in sections, between the cardboard structure and the insert... This can increase when the packaging is heated
Data Source
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AI summary
The invention relates to a packaging tray (1) comprising an outer cardboard structure (2), inside which a plastic insert (3) is provided. The invention further relates to a method for producing such a packaging tray and a packaging machine on which the packaging tray of said type and packaging to be produced thereby can be produced.