Container for retaining and dispensing items
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing beverage containers for storage and temperature control are inefficient, as they require users to rummage through ice chests or refrigeration units to access items, and often fail to allow effective chilling due to suspended interior containers.
Innovation Solution
A container with a main body, tray, and spring members that allows for top dispensing and easy retrieval of items, enabling them to contact the coldest parts of a temperature control unit while maintaining organization and accessibility.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Temperature
If beverage containers are dumped directly into an open ice chest and covered with ice, then temperature control is achieved, but viewing and access of product is prevented and disarray is created
Solution Approach 1:
The system divides the ice chest into functional zones using a container with compartments. The container segments the storage space, allowing beverages to be held in an organized manner while maintaining temperature control through contact with ice. This segmentation enables both temperature control and easy access without rummaging through loose ice.
Solution Approach 2:
The container acts as an intermediary between the ice chest environment and the beverages. It provides a structured interface that allows temperature control through ice contact while simultaneously enabling organized storage and easy retrieval of beverages, resolving the contradiction between temperature control and accessibility.
2Ease of operation
If interior containers are attached to the upper portion of the outer container or the inner surface of the lid, then organization is improved, but contents are prevented from contacting ice and being chilled effectively
Solution Approach 1:
Instead of attaching the container to the upper portion or lid as in conventional designs, this invention inverts the approach by placing the container at the bottom of the ice chest. This inversion allows the contents to directly contact the ice for effective chilling while maintaining organization through the container's structured design.
Solution Approach 2:
The container is designed to rest on the bottom surface of the ice chest rather than being suspended from the upper portion or lid. This dimensional change in placement enables thermal contact with ice through the bottom and sides of the container while maintaining organized storage of beverages.
3Ease of operation
If sloping shelves are built into the body or door of the refrigeration unit, then product retrieval is simplified, but portability is lost and the solution is not adaptable to outdoor settings
Solution Approach 1:
The container incorporates a movable tray that can be easily removed and repositioned. This dynamic design allows the container to adapt to different settings - it can be used within an ice chest for outdoor events or placed in a refrigeration unit for indoor use. The tray's movability enables simplified product retrieval similar to sloping shelves while maintaining portability.
Solution Approach 2:
The container is designed as a universal solution that can function in multiple environments - both as a portable container for outdoor ice chest use and as a stationary organizer for indoor refrigeration units. The movable tray mechanism provides simplified retrieval in both contexts, achieving adaptability across different settings.
4Ease of operation
If the tray is held in a loading position during insertion, then item loading is facilitated, but the loading process requires additional manual effort
Solution Approach 1:
The spring member is pre-loaded to automatically hold the tray in the loading position when items are being inserted. This preliminary action eliminates the need for manual tray adjustment during loading, allowing items to be simply dropped onto the tray without additional manual effort or time consumption.
Solution Approach 2:
The spring mechanism automatically maintains the tray in the optimal loading position without requiring user intervention. The system serves itself by using the spring's stored energy to hold the tray ready for loading, eliminating the need for manual tray positioning and reducing both effort and time required for the loading process.
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 facilitates convenient access and dispensing of items, ensures effective chilling by allowing contents to contact the coldest parts of the temperature control unit, and maintains items in an organized manner.
Implementation Method 1
The at least one spring member is coupled to the main body and the tray. The at least one spring member is configured to bias the tray toward the top side of the main body and to selectively move the tray toward the top side of the main body upon dispensing of the items by a user from the dispensing opening.
Data Source
AI summary
A container for retaining and dispensing items allows the user to easily retrieve the items. The container is top dispensing and dispenses items through the use of one or more spring members, which biases a tray within the container. The container may include elongated slots that align with load assist holes on the tray, which in turn may receive a rod that enables a user to manually depress the tray and quickly load the container with the items. The container may also be used with different types of holders, which allows the container to be stored upright or sideways inside of temperature control units. The main body of the container may have rails that can be slidably received by the holders, allowing the user to use one or more containers in any given space. A system and a method for using the container is also disclosed.