Printable Tray Lid with Peelable Bond for Food Packaging

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Solution Overview

Problem

Current food packaging containers with cardboard sleeves or boxes are costly and generate unnecessary waste, as they require additional packaging materials and can leave residue from pressure-sensitive adhesives when used for heating or cooking.

Innovation Solution

A food packaging container design featuring a removable and resealable lid with a peelable polyolefin layer bonded to a printable PET film, eliminating the need for pressure-sensitive adhesives and allowing easy peeling of the lid without residue, while maintaining information display and stackability.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Loss of information

If a cardboard sleeve or box is used as the outer cover, then printing requirements and information display are met, but packaging costs increase and additional waste is generated

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveinformation displayVSAvoidpackaging waste

Core Design Contradiction:

Loss of informationVSLoss of substance

Solution Approach 1:

The patent merges the outer cover and lid into a single integrated component. The lid is made from a printable material that can directly display brand, product type, cooking instructions, and nutritional information, eliminating the need for a separate cardboard sleeve or box while maintaining all information display requirements.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #5Merging (Combining)

Solution Approach 2:

The lid is designed to serve multiple functions: it acts as both the sealing cover for the tray and the information display medium. By making the lid printable and information-bearing, it replaces the traditional cardboard outer cover's informational role, reducing packaging material while maintaining functionality.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #6Universality (Multi-functionality)

2Strength

If pressure sensitive adhesive is used to bond the cover, then the cover can be attached to the lid, but residue is left on the surface when peeled and can degrade into other chemicals when heated

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvebond strengthVSAvoidadhesive residue

Core Design Contradiction:

StrengthVSObject-generated harmful factors

Solution Approach 1:

The patent extracts and removes the pressure sensitive adhesive layer from the packaging structure. Instead of using adhesive to bond the lid to the tray, the design relies on the inherent properties of the printable lid material and its direct bonding capability, eliminating the source of residue and chemical degradation issues.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #2Taking out (Extraction)

Solution Approach 2:

The patent employs a disposable printable lid that is designed to be used once and then discarded or recycled. The lid is made from a material that can be directly bonded without adhesive, and its single-use nature means any bonding method used is temporary, reducing the need for strong, residue-prone adhesives.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #27Cheap short-living objects (Disposable)

3Loss of information

If a separate outer cover is used, then information display is improved, but device complexity and packaging creation cost increase

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveproduct information displayVSAvoidpackaging structure

Core Design Contradiction:

Loss of informationVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The patent combines the outer cover and lid into a single integrated component. The lid is made from a printable material that can directly display brand, product type, cooking instructions, and nutritional information, eliminating the need for a separate cardboard sleeve or box while maintaining all information display requirements.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #5Merging (Combining)

Solution Approach 2:

Inventive Principle:

Principle #6Universality (Multi-functionality)

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

This design reduces packaging costs and waste by eliminating the cardboard sleeve, ensures easy lid removal without residue, and allows for resealing, enhancing consumer convenience and environmental sustainability.

Implementation Method 1

the printable layer is bonded to the second layer using heat and/or pressure such that the printable layer is fixedly bonded to the second layer

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectHeat bonding: Heating

Implementation Method 2

the printable layer is bonded to the second layer using heat and/or pressure such that the printable layer is fixedly bonded to the second layer

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectPressure bonding: Compression

Implementation Method 3

the second layer is bonded to the lid using heat and/or pressure

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectHeat bonding: Heating

Implementation Method 4

the second layer is bonded to the lid using heat and/or pressure

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectPressure bonding: Compression

Implementation Method 5

the material used for the second layer and the material used for the lid are selected such that the heat applied creates a weaker bond between the second layer and the lid than between the lid and the tray

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectHeat-induced bond weakening: Heating

Data Source

PatentEP2870079B1Plastic tray with printable cover

Publication Date: 2021.01.13 DISCOVERY FLEXIBLES

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AI summary

A food packaging container (11) which has a tray (13) for containing ovenable food, a lid (23) for sealing the tray, a printable cover (15) which comprises a first printable layer (35) bonded to a second layer (37) which is removeably bonded to the lid. The present invention allows information to be incorporated onto the food packaging container without the need for an outer cover.