Rotatable Butter Dish Lid for Clean Sealing and Wide Access
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional butter dishes face issues with greasy butter transfer between the cover and the plate, leading to a compromised seal, difficulty in handling the cover, and restricted access for butter spreaders, as well as potential butter smearing and sticking problems.
Innovation Solution
A butter dish with a rotatable lid that opens beyond 90°, featuring a base with a rotational axis near the rear, allowing the lid to rotate and provide easy access while preventing butter smearing, and including a non-skid surface and ergonomic handles for stability and ease of use.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If the cover is lifted off the dish to provide access to the butter, then access to the butter is improved, but the cover comes into contact with the butter and transfers grease, compromising the seal quality
Solution Approach 1:
The lid is hinged at the rear rather than the front, allowing it to swing open in an arc that lifts the front edge away from the butter surface. This dimensional change in the opening motion prevents contact between the lid and butter while still providing full access.
Solution Approach 2:
The lid transitions from a static cover to a dynamic hinged element that can swing through various angles. This dynamic motion allows the lid to open without contacting the butter, maintaining the seal while enabling access when needed.
2Object-affected harmful factors
If the cover is set down upside down on the countertop to avoid leaving greasy butter, then butter transfer to the countertop is prevented, but the cover becomes unstable and difficult to handle
Solution Approach 1:
Instead of setting the lid upside down (inverting its normal orientation), the lid is designed to rest upright on its rear edge after opening. This inverted approach to the problem maintains stability while preventing butter transfer.
Solution Approach 2:
The rear edge of the lid acts as an intermediary contact point with the countertop, providing a stable resting position that prevents the lid from falling while avoiding direct contact between the butter-exposed surfaces and the countertop.
3Ease of operation
If a hinged or roll top butter dish is used, then access to butter is improved, but the structural complexity increases and the opening is limited to 90°
Solution Approach 1:
The lid is segmented from the base with a simple hinge connection, allowing independent motion. This segmentation provides wide opening capability without requiring complex integrated mechanisms.
Solution Approach 2:
The simple hinge allows the lid to swing dynamically through angles greater than 90°, providing wide access while maintaining structural simplicity. The hinge is positioned to enable this extended range of motion without additional complexity.
4Ease of operation
If the lid opens to more than 90°, then access to the butter is improved and smearing is prevented, but the hinge placement and structural design become more challenging
Solution Approach 1:
The hinge is positioned asymmetrically at the rear of the lid rather than at the center or front. This asymmetric placement enables the lid to open to angles greater than 90° while maintaining structural integrity and simplifying the manufacturing process.
Data Source
AI summary
A butter dish having a rotatable lid that opens to an obtuse angle to give wide access to butter stored on a base cover by the lid. The butter dish includes the base, a rear wall defining a rotational axis located above the base and toward the rear of the base and the lid is mounted to the rear wall and rotates between closed and opened positions.