Returnable packaging and fresh product delivery system using packaging state information
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional delivery systems lack the ability to measure or recognize damage to packaging materials or degradation in inner space insulation performance during transportation, leading to conflicts between consumers and suppliers regarding spoilage or defects of fresh products.
Innovation Solution
A delivery system utilizing returnable packaging equipped with sensors (temperature, humidity, and acceleration sensors) and electronic paper displays (EPDs) for real-time monitoring and communication via Bluetooth and near-field communication systems to track the state of the packaging during delivery, enabling data transmission to manager and driver terminals.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of manufacture
If conventional packaging materials (paper, corrugated cardboard, Styrofoam) are used for transporting fresh products, then packaging cost and ease of manufacture are improved, but the ability to measure or recognize damage to packaging materials or degradation in inner space insulation performance during transportation deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces an intermediary monitoring system consisting of sensors (temperature, humidity, acceleration), electronic paper displays, and communication modules that mediate between the packaging material and the external environment. These intermediaries enable the packaging to report its state without changing the fundamental material composition, thus maintaining ease of manufacture while gaining measurement capability.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent replaces manual inspection and physical assessment of packaging damage with electronic sensing and digital communication systems. Sensors detect temperature, humidity, and acceleration; electronic paper displays visually indicate packaging state; and wireless communication modules transmit data automatically, substituting mechanical inspection methods with electronic monitoring.
2Reliability
If sensors and electronic monitoring systems are added to packaging to track state information, then measurement precision and reliability are improved, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent employs disposable or single-use electronic components (sensors, electronic paper displays, communication modules) that are attached to packaging for one-way delivery trips. After delivery, these electronic components can be discarded or recovered and reused on new packaging, allowing high reliability monitoring without permanently increasing the complexity of the packaging system itself.
Solution Approach 2:
The monitoring system is segmented into independent functional modules: temperature sensors, humidity sensors, acceleration sensors, electronic paper displays, and communication modules. Each module performs a specific function and can be independently attached or removed from the packaging, reducing overall system complexity while maintaining comprehensive monitoring capability.
3Loss of information
If real-time monitoring of packaging state is implemented, then loss of information is reduced, but use of energy increases
Solution Approach 1:
The electronic paper display updates packaging state information periodically or at key moments (such as when temperature thresholds are exceeded or at delivery milestones) rather than continuously. The sensors collect data continuously but transmission and display updates occur periodically, reducing energy consumption while maintaining accurate information about packaging state throughout the delivery process.
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
Facilitates real-time monitoring and data transmission of packaging state information, reducing logistical costs by ensuring product integrity and resolving responsibility conflicts between consumers and suppliers.
Implementation Method 1
sensors (temperature, humidity, and acceleration sensors)
Implementation Method 2
sensors (temperature, humidity, and acceleration sensors)
Implementation Method 3
sensors (temperature, humidity, and acceleration sensors)
Implementation Method 4
first near-field communication system and a second near-field communication system
Implementation Method 5
first Bluetooth communication system and a third Bluetooth communication system
Data Source
AI summary
Disclosed is a delivery system including an order information transmission step of transmitting customer order information to a manager server, a shipping preparation step of transmitting the order information to a distribution center to prepare for shipping, a delivery preparation step of preparing packaging configured to store a product and an electronic paper display (EPD) configured to display delivery information about the packaging, a delivery-start tagging step of tagging a manager terminal including a second Bluetooth communication system and a second near-field communication system on the packaging including a first Bluetooth communication system and a first near-field communication system using near-field communication to activate the EPD, and a state information transmission step of collecting internal or external state information about the packaging during delivery of the product to transmit the collected state information to a delivery driver terminal including a third Bluetooth communication system and a third near-field communication system.