Straw gripper and TAB separator for disposable cup or lid and methods of use
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Solution Overview
Problem
The inconvenience of carrying and transporting drinking straws with disposable beverage cups, along with the challenges of separating and managing disposable cup lids, lead to inefficiencies and hygiene issues in food and beverage service operations.
Innovation Solution
A straw gripper and tab separator apparatus is integrated into the lid of disposable cups, featuring a planar tab with a slit dividing it into two sections, each with a hingeably configured straw contact finger. This design securely attaches the straw to the lid, facilitates easy lid separation, and enhances hygiene.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If straws are placed in bags with food items, then customers can receive straws with their orders, but customers cannot easily locate the straws in crowded environments and service workers spend time answering straw availability questions
Solution Approach 1:
The patent combines the straw with the cup lid by integrating a straw retainer structure into the lid itself. This merging ensures the straw is always visible and accessible with the cup, eliminating the need for separate straw distribution and making straw availability immediately apparent to customers.
Solution Approach 2:
The straw retainer is designed as a separate integrable component that can be attached to the cup lid. This segmentation allows for easy manufacturing and assembly while ensuring the straw is securely positioned and visible, solving the location accessibility issue without complicating the overall system.
2Ease of operation
If workers separate lids from stacks by grabbing the rim, then lids can be removed for use, but workers frequently collect multiple lids, force separation, and contaminate the remaining lids requiring disposal
Solution Approach 1:
The lid stack is designed with individual separation features on each lid that allow workers to easily remove single lids without disturbing the stack. This segmentation enables clean separation without contamination, eliminating the need to discard multiple lids and reducing material waste.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent extracts the separation function into a dedicated feature on each lid that allows workers to remove lids one at a time from the stack without touching or contaminating the remaining lids. This extraction of the separation function eliminates the harmful contamination effect.
3Adaptability or versatility
If straws are transported separately from cups, then straw and cup manufacturing can be independent, but carrying and transporting straws with disposable beverage cups is inconvenient
Solution Approach 1:
The patent merges the straw with the cup lid through an integrable retainer structure. This allows straws and cups to be manufactured and distributed independently while ensuring they are conveniently combined at the point of use, providing both manufacturing flexibility and customer convenience.
Data Source
AI summary
A straw gripper and tab separator for disposable cup or lid having a tab extending from the perimeter of the drink lid/cup, the tab having an exterior edge with a straw capture and alignment port to align the straw with said exterior edge, the straw capture and alignment port having a slit dividing the planar tab into a first tab section and second tab section, the first tab section having a first straw contact finger configured therein and the second tab section having a second straw contact finger configured therein, each straw contact finger separated by said slit, the straw contact fingers cutout endpoints converge on a second slit end, and the straw contact fingers are hingeably configured to removably secure the straw against a straw contact rim formed in the planar tab by a cutout of said first straw contact finger and said second straw contact finger.