Rotatable Portions Management Plate for Adjustable Food Intake Control
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Current dieting solutions, including meal portion control and calorie tracking, often require manual counting and measurement, which can be cumbersome and prone to overeating, and do not effectively integrate physical and virtual tools for comprehensive nutritional management.
Innovation Solution
A system comprising an adjustable portions management (PM) plate with rotatable compartments and a corresponding smartphone app that allows users to control food portions through a virtual interface, providing preset portion sizes based on individual dieting goals and integrating expert recommendations for calorie intake.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Measurement precision
If manual calorie counting and measurement are used, then users can track nutritional intake, but the process becomes cumbersome and prone to overeating
Solution Approach 1:
The plate is divided into multiple compartments with predetermined portion sizes for different food categories (proteins, carbohydrates, vegetables, etc.). This segmentation eliminates the need for manual measurement while maintaining precise portion control, as each compartment is designed to hold a specific amount of food based on nutritional guidelines.
Solution Approach 2:
The plate compartments are pre-designed with specific volumes and dimensions before use. The cover is pre-configured with alignment features that automatically position it correctly over the compartments. This preliminary preparation eliminates the need for real-time calculation or measurement during meal assembly, making the process both precise and convenient.
2Manufacturing precision
If traditional food trays with fixed compartments are used, then portion sizes are controlled, but adaptability to different dieting needs is limited
Solution Approach 1:
The cover is designed to rotate relative to the base plate, allowing users to dynamically adjust which compartments are accessible or visible. The cover features cutouts that can be aligned with different compartment configurations, enabling customization of portion sizes and food category selections based on individual dieting goals without requiring multiple different plates.
Solution Approach 2:
A single plate system serves multiple functions: it provides predetermined portion control for various food categories, accommodates different dieting regimens (calorie counting, macro tracking, specific diet plans), and can be adjusted through cover rotation to match different nutritional requirements. This multi-functionality replaces the need for multiple specialized trays.
3Ease of operation
If virtual PM is displayed by the app, then user interface is simplified, but integration with physical plate is required for accurate portion control
Solution Approach 1:
The system merges the physical plate with the virtual app interface through synchronized rotation mechanisms. When the physical cover is rotated to a specific position, the app's virtual cover rotates correspondingly to display the same compartment configuration. This integration allows users to verify portion sizes visually through the app while maintaining accurate physical portion control, combining the simplicity of digital interfaces with the reliability of physical constraints.
Data Source
AI summary
In one embodiment, a system for aiding a user to control nutritional intake includes a portions management (PM) plate having a base with one or more compartments each having an open top, and a cover having one or more cutouts each corresponding to an open top of a compartment of the base, the cover being rotatably mounted relative to the base to varying degrees of alignment of the cutouts to the corresponding open tops of the compartments to thereby selectively occlude or expose the open tops and control the amount of food that can be inserted into the one or more compartments for support on a platter over which the portions management plate is disposed. An app for use with a smart phone or the like can also be included and used in conjunction with the physical PM plate, or with a virtual PM that can be displayed by the app.