Portion dispensing container
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing dry food dispensers do not efficiently dispense granular foods in preset increments, and there is a need for a cost-effective manufacturing method for such dispensers.
Innovation Solution
A dry food storage dispenser with a hopper, cover, slider, and scraper mechanism that allows for the controlled dispensing of food into a cup in predetermined quantities, manufactured using injection molding for ease and efficiency.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Measurement precision
If a dry food dispenser is designed to dispense food in preset increments, then the portion control precision is improved, but the device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The dispenser is divided into distinct functional components: a hopper for bulk storage, a dispensing mechanism with slider for portion control, and a cup for receiving dispensed food. This segmentation allows each component to perform its specific function efficiently while maintaining overall system simplicity.
Solution Approach 2:
The dispenser utilizes the user's own cup as the receiving container, eliminating the need for a separate dispensing chamber or complex transfer mechanism. The user simply inserts their cup into the hopper opening, and the slider mechanism automatically dispenses the preset portion directly into it.
2Measurement precision
If a scraper mechanism is added to close off food flow during dispensing, then the portion control precision is improved, but the device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The scraper function is merged with the existing slider mechanism. The slider not only controls the opening for food dispensing but also incorporates a scraper portion that actively pushes food onto the cup's rim. This combination eliminates the need for a separate scraper component while enhancing portion control precision.
Solution Approach 2:
The slider mechanism serves multiple functions: it opens the food flow path, controls the dispensing rate, and through its scraper portion, ensures complete food transfer onto the cup rim. This multi-functionality reduces the overall number of components needed in the system.
3Ease of manufacture
If injection molding is used for manufacturing, then the ease of manufacture is improved, but the manufacturing precision may be compromised
Solution Approach 1:
The dispenser is designed as a multi-component assembly (hopper, slider, cup) that can be manufactured separately using injection molding and then assembled. This segmentation allows each component to be optimized for injection molding processes while maintaining functional precision through careful design of mating surfaces and tolerances.
Solution Approach 2:
The design incorporates parameters suitable for injection molding, such as appropriate wall thicknesses, draft angles, and material selection. These parameter choices ensure that the molded parts achieve the required dimensional accuracy and functional performance while being easily manufacturable through injection molding processes.
Data Source
AI summary
A portion dispensing container. The container includes a base supporting a hopper to store the food, with a cover sealing the hopper. A cup may be inserted into and removed from the base, and interacts with a slider to dispense a predetermined quantity of food into the cup upon each insertion. The hopper may include a scraper portion to assist in closing off the flow of food from the hopper during dispensing.