Removable Tray Container With Membrane For Material Separation
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Solution Overview
Problem
Storage containers lack effective solutions for maintaining separation between different materials, such as automotive body putty and hardening agents, which can mix prematurely, ruining the product if not kept separate until use.
Innovation Solution
A container design featuring a removable tray with a membrane and upwardly extending fingers or a ridge for secure placement within the container, ensuring separation of materials until desired by the user, along with a secure overcap for additional protection during transport.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If a removable tray is added to separate materials, then material separation is improved, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The container is divided into distinct segments: a container body and a removable tray. The tray can be separated from the body to allow independent access to materials stored in each compartment, ensuring complete separation of reactive materials while maintaining a relatively simple overall structure.
Solution Approach 2:
The removable tray is nested within the container body, fitting inside the cavity formed by the container walls. This nesting arrangement allows the tray to be easily inserted and removed without requiring complex mechanical structures, achieving reliable material separation through simple geometric compatibility.
2Reliability
If upwardly extending fingers are added to the tray, then tray positioning is improved, but manufacturing complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The tray structure is segmented with upwardly extending fingers that protrude from the tray base. These fingers are designed to fit into corresponding recesses or spaces within the container body, providing positive positioning and preventing the tray from shifting during storage or transport.
Solution Approach 2:
The upwardly extending fingers automatically engage with the container body structure when the tray is inserted, providing self-positioning and self-alignment without requiring additional fastening mechanisms or complex assembly procedures. The fingers serve both as positioning elements and as guides for proper tray insertion.
3Reliability
If a membrane is added to enclose the tray, then material separation is improved, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
A flexible membrane is stretched across the opening of the removable tray, forming a barrier that prevents materials in the tray from contacting materials in the container body. The membrane can be made of thin, flexible material that conforms to the tray opening shape, providing effective separation without adding significant structural complexity.
Solution Approach 2:
The membrane is integrated with the nested tray structure, enclosing the tray contents while maintaining the compact nested arrangement. The membrane acts as a flexible closure that can be easily installed by stretching over the tray opening, combining separation functionality with the space-efficient nested design.
4Reliability
If a ridge is added to the tray external surface, then tray positioning is improved, but manufacturing complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
A ridge is formed on the external surface of the tray, creating an asymmetric feature that engages with a corresponding asymmetric structure in the container body. This asymmetric pairing provides unique positioning and prevents rotation or misalignment of the tray within the container.
Solution Approach 2:
The ridge is designed as a discrete structural feature on the tray that can be formed during tray manufacturing or added as a separate component. It segments the tray surface to create a specific engagement interface with the container body, providing reliable positioning without requiring complex overall tray redesign.
Data Source
AI summary
The present invention relates to a container including a container body with a removable tray wherein the container can house at least two materials that must be kept separate until use. The container also may have upwardly extending fingers in the removable tray for securing a material.