Perforated Bottle Support Plate for Clean-Release Vertical Stacking
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing molded trays for storing bottles, particularly for sparkling wine, face difficulties in cleaning due to sticky sugary residue from fermentation, which adheres to the bottles and makes de-stacking complex and costly to automate.
Innovation Solution
A planar perforated support and storage plate with holes around the perimeter of each hole, allowing linear contact between bottles and the plate, facilitating easier release and cleaning, and enabling vertical stacking with improved space utilization through a geometric tangent-secant design.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If molded trays with cavities are used to support bottles, then bottles can be stored horizontally in stacks, but the trays become difficult to clean due to sticky sugary residue adhering to the bottles and cavities
Solution Approach 1:
The plate is segmented into a planar surface with multiple peripheral holes instead of a single complex molded cavity structure. Each hole acts as an independent support point, simplifying the overall structure and enabling easier cleaning by allowing access to all surfaces.
Solution Approach 2:
Instead of creating deep cavities to hold bottles (inward structure), the invention uses peripheral holes in a planar plate (outward structure). This inversion allows bottles to rest on the perimeter of holes while keeping the plate surface simple and accessible for cleaning operations.
2Productivity
If bottles are stored in molded trays with cavities, then stacking is automated and volume occupation is improved, but the cleaning operation becomes costly and complex to automate
Solution Approach 1:
The plate structure is divided into multiple peripheral holes rather than a single molded cavity, creating a segmented support system that maintains stacking functionality while simplifying the surface geometry for automated cleaning mechanisms.
Solution Approach 2:
The plate geometry is changed from three-dimensional molded cavities to a two-dimensional planar structure with peripheral holes. This parameter change from volumetric to surface-based support maintains bottle holding capability while dramatically simplifying cleaning access.
3Ease of operation
If linear contact between bottles and plate is used, then bottles do not stick excessively and are easier to release, but the support structure becomes simpler to manufacture
Solution Approach 1:
The contact interface is segmented into discrete peripheral holes rather than a continuous molded cavity surface. This segmentation creates linear contact points that reduce adhesive bonding area, making bottle release easier while the simple hole geometry remains easy to manufacture.
Solution Approach 2:
The support structure transitions from three-dimensional molded cavities to two-dimensional peripheral holes in a planar plate. This dimensional reduction simplifies manufacturing processes while the linear perimeter contact provides sufficient support and reduces sticking.
Data Source
AI summary
Container support plate and the use thereof for the storage of containers by stacking said plates.