Self-Standing Food Container with Flange Support Surface
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing food containers require additional support structures or specialized stands to maintain a vertically biased position for optimal branding display, which increases production costs and complicates shipping and stacking processes.
Innovation Solution
A container design featuring a base section and lid section with flanges that create a combined center of gravity, allowing the container to remain in a vertically biased position without additional support, utilizing the flange support surface and base corner as support elements, eliminating the need for specialized stands and allowing for efficient stacking and shipping.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Stability of the object's composition
If additional support structures or specialized stands are added to maintain vertically biased position, then the container stability is improved, but the production cost increases and device complexity worsens
Solution Approach 1:
The container base is designed with asymmetric geometry, specifically a front base sidewall that extends upward to define a base corner, while other sidewalls have different configurations. This asymmetric shape, combined with the flange structure, creates a self-stabilizing effect that biases the container to stand vertically without requiring additional support structures or specialized stands.
Solution Approach 2:
The container's own geometric features (flange support surface, base corner, and asymmetric base shape) are utilized to maintain its vertically biased position. The container serves itself by using its inherent structural elements to create the necessary stability, eliminating the need for external support structures or specialized display stands.
2Stability of the object's composition
If asymmetric base tapering is used to achieve vertical positioning, then the container stability is improved, but the manufacturing complexity increases and production cost worsens
Solution Approach 1:
Rather than tapering the base asymmetrically, the patent uses a flange structure with a flange support surface that extends outward from the front base sidewall. This asymmetric flange configuration achieves the vertical positioning function while maintaining uniform base walls that are easier to manufacture through standard molding processes.
Solution Approach 2:
The base is segmented into distinct functional elements: a main base portion and a flange structure with a flange support surface. This segmentation allows the flange to provide the asymmetric positioning function independently, while the main base can be manufactured with uniform, simple geometry, thereby reducing overall manufacturing complexity.
3Stability of the object's composition
If specialized support structures are added to maintain standing position, then the container stability is improved, but the shipping and stacking efficiency worsens
Solution Approach 1:
The container uses its own flange and base corner features to maintain stability in the vertically biased position, eliminating the need for separate support structures. This self-sufficient design allows containers to be shipped and stacked efficiently without additional components that would complicate logistics or reduce space utilization.
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
This design reduces production costs, eliminates the need for asymmetric base tapering, and facilitates efficient volume usage and stacking, while maintaining the top surface prominently displayed for branding, thus enhancing sales and logistical efficiency.
Implementation Method 1
a resulting center of gravity of the container apparatus generates a moment about an axis of the base corner that biases the container apparatus in the standing position
Data Source
AI summary
A container has a base flange on a base, and a lid flange on a lid. When the container is in a closed position the lid flange and the base flange are in juxtaposition and one of the flange edges defines a flange support surface. A lid surface is spaced above an upper base periphery when in the closed position to define a lid volume, and the base section defines a base volume. The flange support surface extends a first distance such that when the volume of the container is loaded with a rated capacity of product and the container is placed in a standing position on a flat surface using the flange support surface and a front base corner as support elements, a center of gravity of the container generates a moment about an axis of the base corner that biases the container in the standing position.