Snack containment and dispensing apparatus and use thereof
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing snack containment and dispensing devices lack spill resistance and entertainment features, often allowing snacks to spill and failing to provide user engagement in the dispensing process.
Innovation Solution
A snack containment and dispensing apparatus with a rotatable tray and hinged lid, allowing selective access to individual pockets, featuring a plunger button that actuates the tray's rotation to align a pocket with an opening, preventing spills and providing user interaction in snack selection.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If snacks are stored in an open container for easy access, then ease of operation is improved, but spill resistance deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The container is segmented into multiple individual pockets, each capable of being independently accessed. The lid is segmented with corresponding openings that align with specific pockets, allowing users to access one pocket at a time while the remaining pockets remain protected, thus maintaining spill resistance while improving ease of operation.
2Device complexity
If a simple container design is used, then device complexity is reduced, but entertainment value deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The container incorporates a rotatable tray mechanism that allows dynamic reconfiguration of pocket positions. Users can rotate the tray to bring different pockets into alignment with lid openings, creating an interactive element that enhances entertainment value while maintaining a relatively simple overall container structure.
3Productivity
If all snacks are accessible at once, then productivity is improved, but loss of substance deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
By dividing the snack storage into multiple separately accessible pockets, the system allows rapid retrieval of individual snacks without requiring all snacks to be simultaneously accessible. This segmentation enables efficient snack access while the protective lid structure prevents spillage during retrieval operations.
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 apparatus effectively prevents spills by allowing access to one pocket at a time, offering an entertaining and autonomous experience for users in selecting and retrieving snacks, with the design ensuring that only the exposed snack is susceptible to spilling if the device is overturned.
Implementation Method 1
An actuator is configured to actuate rotation of the tray
Implementation Method 2
The lid includes an opening having a hinged flap
Data Source
AI summary
The present invention is a snack containment and dispensing apparatus having a plurality of separate snack containment compartments, a preferably transparent lid having an opening therein, and a plunger or like means to index or rotate the lid such that access to a singular snack compartment is obtained one-at-a-time. By selectively accessing only one snack compartment at a time, the snacks in the other non-currently accessed snack compartments are rendered non-spillable. Moreover, by providing indexable access to a snack compartment, a user—typically a child—not only gains access to a snack contained therein but is also provided snack choice autonomy and entertainment thereby.