Silicone food and beverage storage containers

Solution Overview

Problem

Existing food and beverage storage containers face issues such as difficulty in opening and closing, cleaning, drying, standing upright, filling, and sealing, along with leakage due to poor sealing, leading to usability problems across various sizes and usage occasions.

Innovation Solution

A silicone storage container design featuring an elastomeric base, inner insert with a spout, and screw cap system that includes annular protrusions and channels for compression fit, allowing for easy assembly and disassembly, sealing, and accessibility, suitable for a range of applications from infant to adult use.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Reliability

If existing reusable food and beverage storage containers are used, then they can store food and beverages, but they suffer from difficulty in opening and closing, cleaning, drying, standing upright, filling, and sealing, along with leakage due to poor sealing

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvesealing performanceVSAvoidopening and closing difficulty

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSEase of operation

Solution Approach 1:

The container is divided into multiple components: a base, a removable inner insert with spout, and a separate outer cap. This segmentation allows each part to be optimized independently - the spout provides controlled access while the separate cap ensures reliable sealing when closed, and all components can be cleaned and dried separately for ease of maintenance.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #1Segmentation

2Reliability

If existing reusable food and beverage storage containers are used, then they can store food and beverages, but they suffer from difficulty in opening and closing, cleaning, drying, standing upright, filling, and sealing, along with leakage due to poor sealing

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvesealing performanceVSAvoidcontainer structure complexity

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The inner insert with spout is nested within the base, and the outer cap encloses both the inner insert and base when closed. This nested structure provides reliable sealing through multiple interfaces while maintaining a compact form factor. The components nest together cleanly for storage but can be easily separated for cleaning and filling operations.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #7Nested doll (Nesting)

3Ease of operation

If existing reusable food and beverage storage containers are used, then they can store food and beverages, but they suffer from difficulty in opening and closing, cleaning, drying, standing upright, filling, and sealing, along with leakage due to poor sealing

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvecleaning easeVSAvoidcontainer structure complexity

Core Design Contradiction:

Ease of operationVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The container is divided into multiple components: a base, a removable inner insert with spout, and a separate outer cap. This segmentation allows each part to be optimized independently - the spout provides controlled access while the separate cap ensures reliable sealing when closed, and all components can be cleaned and dried separately for ease of maintenance.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #1Segmentation

4Ease of operation

If existing reusable food and beverage storage containers are used, then they can store food and beverages, but they suffer from difficulty in opening and closing, cleaning, drying, standing upright, filling, and sealing, along with leakage due to poor sealing

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvefilling easeVSAvoidleakage prevention

Core Design Contradiction:

Ease of operationVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

The inner insert with spout is pre-positioned in the base before filling, creating a ready-to-use configuration. The spout can be used for controlled pouring during filling, and once filled, the outer cap is placed to ensure immediate sealing. This preliminary arrangement of components facilitates easy filling while ensuring leakage prevention from the moment the container is closed.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #10Preliminary action

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

The container provides a leakproof, airtight, and versatile solution that can be used for various food and beverage types, including hot and cold items, and is suitable for on-the-go use, with components that are dishwasher safe and easy to clean.

Implementation Method 1

Rotation of screw cap compresses at least a portion of the base between the inner insert and the outer cap

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectElasticity: Elasticity

Data Source

PatentUS11759035B2Silicone food and beverage storage containers

Publication Date: 2023.09.19 INSTANT BRANDS HLDG INC

AI summary

A storage container includes an elastomeric base having a plurality of side walls forming an interior and an opening at an upper edge of the base. The base has an annular channel positioned proximate the opening at the upper edge of the base. An inner insert is removably positionable in the opening of the base, the inner insert having an outward facing annular protrusion configured for insertion in the annular channel of the base, and a spout with a channel formed therethrough. At least a portion of the spout has external threading. An outer cap is positionable over the inner insert and has an opening for receiving the spout. A screw cap includes internal threading configured for rotational engagement with the external threading of the spout, wherein rotation of screw cap compresses at least a portion of the base between the inner insert and the outer cap.