Stackable Food Container With Interlocking Base And Cover
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing food product containers are not designed to facilitate easy and stable stacking, leading to delays in the production line when trying to stack them one above the other.
Innovation Solution
A stackable container with a base and cover made of plastic, featuring matching edge shapes and male/female fitting elements, as well as tongues and grooves for secure closure and stacking, allowing for efficient and stable stacking and quick closure.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Productivity
If conventional containers are used for packaging food products, then the basic packaging function is achieved, but the containers do not allow easy stacking, causing delays in the production line
Solution Approach 1:
The container is divided into distinct functional elements: a base with external facing surfaces for stacking, a cover with internal facing surfaces, and complementary fitting means (protrusions and recesses) that segment the stacking function from the containment function. This segmentation allows the stacking interface to be optimized independently for ease of operation.
Solution Approach 2:
Fitting means consisting of protrusions and recesses act as intermediary elements between the base of one container and the cover of another container. These intermediaries facilitate the stacking operation by providing positive engagement features that guide and secure the containers together, making the stacking process easier and faster.
2Stability of the object's composition
If containers are designed with basic structure only, then manufacturing is simple, but stable stacking cannot be achieved
Solution Approach 1:
The container design employs asymmetric features: the base has external facing surfaces with specific geometric configurations, while the cover has corresponding internal facing surfaces with complementary but distinct shapes. The fitting means feature asymmetric protrusions and recesses that provide stable stacking while maintaining relatively simple overall container structure.
Solution Approach 2:
The stacking stability is achieved by adding vertical dimension features (protrusions extending upward from the base, recesses extending downward from the cover) that engage with each other in the vertical stacking direction. This dimensional addition provides stable stacking without significantly complicating the horizontal container structure.
3Loss of time
If containers are stacked manually without special features, then the container structure remains simple, but the stacking process is time-consuming
Solution Approach 1:
The fitting means (protrusions and recesses) are pre-formed as integral parts of the base and cover during the molding process. This preliminary action eliminates the need for separate stacking mechanism installation or complex assembly operations, allowing containers to be quickly stacked by simply engaging the pre-configured fitting features.
Solution Approach 2:
The container's own structural features (external facing surfaces, internal facing surfaces, protrusions, and recesses) perform the stacking function automatically when containers are brought together. The design enables self-alignment and self-engagement during stacking, eliminating the need for external stacking equipment or complex manual operations, thus reducing stacking time without adding device complexity.
Data Source
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AI summary
A stackable container (10) for food products is described, comprising a base (11) and a cover (12) adapted to be closed on the base (11), the base (11) comprising an internal face (21) oriented towards the cover (12) and an external face (22) opposite to the internal face (21) and adapted to be associated with the cover (12) of a second container (10) through fitting means (51, 52) associated with the base (11) and with the cover (12) and configured to be mutually engaged and stack the two containers (10).