Stackable Cup Base Geometry for Safer Free-Fall Emptying
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional stackable cups pose a risk of injury when filled with liquid due to their center of gravity alignment, which can lead to accidents during free fall or throwing, as they tend to maintain their filled orientation upon impact, increasing the likelihood of harm.
Innovation Solution
The cup design features a specially shaped base that shifts the center of gravity diametrically opposite the handle, combined with a handle connector that creates high drag during free fall, causing the cup to rotate and empty, reducing mass and kinetic energy, and a base with multiple levels that offset the center of gravity, ensuring the cup stabilizes with the opening side down and handle up, minimizing impact damage.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Object-affected harmful factors
If the cup is designed with a conventional base and center of gravity alignment, then the cup is simple in structure and easy to manufacture, but the cup maintains a stable filled orientation upon impact, increasing the risk of injury when filled with liquid
Solution Approach 1:
The base is designed with an asymmetric two-level structure where the first base part forms a substantially closed surface and the second base part creates an open surface. This asymmetric configuration shifts the center of gravity to the diametrically opposite side of the handle, causing the cup to rotate and empty during free fall, thereby reducing injury risk from liquid impact
Solution Approach 2:
The base structure extends into a vertical dimension with two distinct levels: the first base part at a higher level forming a closed surface, and the second base part at a lower level forming an open surface. This dimensional differentiation creates the necessary center of gravity shift without adding horizontal complexity
2Object-affected harmful factors
If the cup is designed to rotate and empty during free fall, then the injury risk is reduced, but the cup requires a complex base structure with multiple levels and surfaces
Solution Approach 1:
The first and second base parts are merged into a single integrated base structure formed from one piece with the cup body. The closed surface and open surface are combined features of this unified structure, eliminating the need for separate components and simplifying manufacturing while achieving the rotation function
Solution Approach 2:
The asymmetric base structure serves multiple functions: it shifts the center of gravity to enable rotation during free fall, provides structural support for the cup, and creates both closed and open surfaces that work together to achieve the emptying effect. This multi-functionality reduces the need for additional components
3Stability of the object's composition
If the cup stabilizes with opening side down and handle up during flight, then the cup can empty effectively, but the cup requires a specially shaped base with different levels
Solution Approach 1:
The second base part is positioned at a lower level than the first base part, creating a counterbalancing effect that shifts the center of gravity to the diametrically opposite side of the handle. This counterweight effect stabilizes the cup in the desired orientation during flight, with the opening side down and handle up, enabling effective emptying
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 significantly reduces the risk of injury by ensuring the cup empties during free fall, decelerates more than the liquid, and impacts with a flexible, rounded section away from the handle, minimizing harm upon contact.
Implementation Method 1
The profile of the handle connector ensures that when air flows in free flight or free fall, there is a high level of drag on the handle connector
Implementation Method 2
the second base part has several different levels which, when the cup is standing on a substantially horizontally aligned base, are above the level or levels of the first base part. Due to the different levels of the first and second base part, the center of gravity of the at least partially filled cup is off the longitudinal axis and in the diametrically opposite the handle part offset direction
Data Source
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AI summary
The cup has a handle connecting portion (6) which is formed by projecting outwardly from cup main portion (1). The bottom of main portion is provided first bottom portion (5), so that cup having cup opening (19) facing upwardly on base is adjusted. The second bottom portion is provided with different level to standstill on horizontally oriented base of cup as above level of first bottom portion, such that focus of partially filled cup is carried out as away from longitudinal axis in the direction in which handle portion (7) lies diametrically opposite.