Product display design and manufacturing using a product display design model

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Solution Overview

Problem

Traditional methods for designing product displays are labor-intensive and impractical, often failing to meet specific store location needs due to the infinite number of possible designs, and lack computerized solutions that can objectively generate optimal display configurations.

Innovation Solution

A computerized product display design model that uses volume parameters to generate finite geometric arrangements of products within cartridges and display units, allowing for the selection of optimal display options based on target product counts and mix ratios, and manufacturing of corresponding display units and cartridges.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Productivity

If traditional manual methods are used to design product displays, then design flexibility and customization are possible, but the design process is labor-intensive and time-consuming (days or weeks)

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvedesign speedVSAvoiddesign process complexity

Core Design Contradiction:

ProductivityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The patent replaces manual mechanical design processes with a computerized optimization system that uses algorithms to automatically generate and evaluate product display configurations. The system substitutes human labor with computational methods, reducing design time from days or weeks to minutes while maintaining design quality through objective mathematical optimization criteria.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #28Mechanics substitution (Replace mechanical system)

Solution Approach 2:

The optimization system performs self-service by automatically generating multiple design options, evaluating them against predefined criteria (product visibility, space utilization, structural integrity), and selecting optimal configurations without requiring continuous human intervention. The system independently completes the entire design process from input parameters to final recommendations.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #25Self-service

2Adaptability or versatility

If the number of possible product display designs is increased to meet specific store needs, then customization capability improves, but the complexity of selecting the optimal design increases

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvestore-specific customizationVSAvoiddesign selection complexity

Core Design Contradiction:

Adaptability or versatilityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The system incorporates feedback mechanisms where design options are evaluated against store-specific requirements and optimization criteria. The algorithm receives feedback from the evaluation process and iteratively refines design options, ultimately presenting the best configurations that meet both customization needs and performance objectives.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #23Feedback

Solution Approach 2:

The system manages design complexity by parameterizing the optimization problem, defining specific criteria (product visibility, space utilization, structural constraints) as adjustable parameters. This allows the system to handle numerous design variables systematically, transforming an overwhelming selection problem into a structured optimization process with controllable parameters.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #35Parameter changes

3Productivity

If computerized optimization is used to generate product display designs, then design time is reduced to minutes, but the need for standardized volume parameters increases system setup complexity

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvedesign generation speedVSAvoiddata preparation effort

Core Design Contradiction:

ProductivityVSEase of manufacture

Solution Approach 1:

The system performs preliminary action by pre-defining volume parameters for standard display components (shelves, bins, fixtures) before the actual design process. This upfront preparation of standardized data eliminates the need to measure and define parameters during each design project, reducing setup complexity while maintaining rapid design generation capability.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #10Preliminary action

Solution Approach 2:

The system achieves universality by creating a library of standardized volume parameters that can be reused across multiple design projects and different store configurations. This multi-functional approach allows the same parameter set to serve various design needs, reducing repetitive data preparation work while maintaining customization flexibility.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #6Universality (Multi-functionality)

Data Source

PatentUS11714926B1Product display design and manufacturing using a product display design model

Publication Date: 2023.08.01 THE HERSHEY COMPANY

AI summary

Product displays are used to hold and present products. A method of manufacturing a product display can include forming display unit and cartridge blanks for assembly into a product display that has been designed using a product display design model executed on a computing device. A dataset of standardized units is created and includes products, cartridges, and display units. The product display design model generates product display design options that specify geometric arrangements of cartridges within display units, where the cartridges are each associated with a product type. The geometric arrangements are based on inputs that include combinations of a target total product count, a target mix ratio, product types, and a product display type. Display unit blanks and cartridge blanks used to construct display units and cartridges of the product display are formed by a manufacturing device based on a generated product display design option.