Stand-up Tray with Movable Flaps for Retail Display
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional food package trays with peripheral flanges are difficult to stand on end due to the flange projecting outwardly, causing instability and making it challenging to display a large portion of the package on retail shelves.
Innovation Solution
A tray design featuring a peripheral flange with movable flaps that extend perpendicular to the flange, allowing the package to be supported upright, with ribs and inward tapering sidewalls to facilitate stability and prevent interference during transport.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Stability of the object's composition
If the tray includes a peripheral flange projecting outwardly beyond the bottom wall, then the tray provides structural support and stability, but the tray becomes difficult to stand on end and the center of gravity becomes unstable
Solution Approach 1:
The flaps are designed to be movable relative to the flange, allowing the tray to transition between different orientations. The flaps can be folded parallel to the flange during transport and then extended perpendicular to the flange to enable upright standing, making the structure adaptable to different operational states
Solution Approach 2:
The flaps extend in a direction perpendicular to the plane of the flange when deployed, creating a new dimensional support structure. This perpendicular extension provides a vertical support surface that enables the tray to stand upright, effectively adding a new spatial dimension to the support mechanism
2Stability of the object's composition
If the package is disposed on its bottom side or top side, then the package can be stable, but only a small portion of the package is visible to consumers on display shelves
Solution Approach 1:
The movable flaps allow the package to be dynamically positioned in an upright orientation for display, rather than being fixed in a horizontal position. This dynamic reconfiguration enables the large front face of the package to face outwardly on retail shelves, maximizing consumer visibility
Solution Approach 2:
The flaps are segmented from the main flange body, allowing independent movement and positioning. This segmentation enables the flaps to be extended perpendicular to the flange to create an upright support structure, allowing the package to stand vertically with maximum surface area visible
3Ease of operation
If flaps extend perpendicular to the flange to enable upright orientation, then the tray can be supported upright, but the flaps may interfere with transport along conveyors
Solution Approach 1:
The flaps are designed with movable connections to the flange, allowing them to be folded parallel to the flange during conveyor transport to avoid interference. When upright positioning is needed, the flaps can be extended perpendicular to the flange. This dynamic reconfiguration eliminates transport interference while maintaining upright capability
Solution Approach 2:
The flaps can be pre-positioned in a folded state parallel to the flange before transport, and then extended to perpendicular position after transport or at the point of use. This preliminary positioning prevents interference during conveyor movement while enabling upright orientation when needed
Data Source
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AI summary
A tray (20) for use in a food package having an outer surrounding wrapper (14), such as a flow wrap, and configured for standing on end, is described herein. The tray can include one or more compartments (30). Each of the compartments can include a bottom wall (34), an opening (36) opposite the bottom wall, and a surrounding side wall (32) extending between the bottom wall and the opening. A generally planar, peripheral flange (22) is disposed about the periphery of the tray and adjacent the opening of the compartment or, if more than one compartments, the openings of the compartments. The tray can include a pair of flaps (40), each disposed on an opposite side of the tray. Each of the flaps (40) is connected to the flange via an associated intersection and extends substantially perpendicular relative to the flange such that the tray can be supported on one of the flaps (40) in a generally upright orientation.