Reusable Food and Beverage Tray With Collapsible Cup Bands
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Solution Overview
Problem
Cardboard trays used at sporting events are inexpensive but cumulatively costly and environmentally unfriendly, resulting in large quantities of trash that stadium maintenance personnel must clean up.
Innovation Solution
A reusable food and beverage tray with folding retractable legs, a configurable plastic design, and flexible drink bands that can hold multiple beverage cups, allowing for compact storage and easy cleaning, along with an optional insulated storage bag for additional items.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of manufacture
If disposable cardboard trays are used, then individual tray cost is low, but cumulative cost and environmental impact increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies the opposite approach by creating a durable, reusable tray instead of a disposable one. The tray is designed to be washed and reused multiple times, eliminating the waste generation associated with disposable cardboard trays while maintaining affordability through simple construction.
2Loss of substance
If reusable trays are implemented, then waste reduction is achieved, but initial cost and complexity increase
Solution Approach 1:
The tray is divided into distinct functional segments: a base tray body, removable drink bands with cup holders, and optional storage bag attachments. This segmentation allows each component to be simple in design while the combination provides comprehensive functionality, reducing overall complexity.
Solution Approach 2:
The tray design incorporates multiple functions into a single device: food carrying, beverage holding via drink bands, storage via optional bags, and stackable storage. This multi-functionality reduces the need for multiple separate items, simplifying the overall system while achieving waste reduction.
3Adaptability or versatility
If the tray includes multiple features (drink bands, storage bag), then versatility increases, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The drink bands are designed to be flexible and adjustable, allowing them to expand or contract based on the number and size of cups being held. The storage bags can be attached or removed as needed. This dynamic adaptability provides versatility without requiring a complex fixed structure.
Data Source
AI summary
A food and beverage tray in various implementations has one or more of drink bands, retractable legs and/or a collapsing tray assembly. This abstract is not to be considered limiting, since other embodiments may deviate from the features described in this abstract.