Takeout Food Box Lid Pocket for Plates and Extra Food
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing take-out food delivery systems lack an efficient and environmentally friendly way to package and deliver serving plates, napkins, and utensils with the main food item, often requiring separate and awkward packaging that wastes cardboard.
Innovation Solution
A pizza box with a built-in plate pocket and extra food pocket, featuring a lid that swings open to access serving plates, utensils, and napkins, and an extra food compartment, all made from foldable materials like cardboard or plastic, allowing for integrated storage without excess waste.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If serving plates, napkins, and utensils are packaged separately with the main food item, then they can be provided to customers, but the packaging becomes awkward and difficult to handle
Solution Approach 1:
The patent combines multiple separate packaging elements (main food box, plate storage, napkins, utensils) into a single integrated takeout food box structure. The plate pocket and extra food pocket are built into the main box, eliminating the need for separate packaging components and improving handling convenience.
Solution Approach 2:
The takeout food box serves multiple functions: storing the main food item, storing serving plates, holding napkins and utensils, and accommodating extra food items. This multi-functional design replaces multiple separate packaging solutions with a single versatile container.
2Loss of substance
If separate packaging is used for serving plates and extra food items, then all items can be delivered, but excess cardboard is wasted
Solution Approach 1:
The plate pocket and extra food pocket are nested within the main food box structure, with pockets extending downward from the lid bottom surface. This nesting arrangement allows multiple storage functions within a single box, eliminating the need for separate packaging and reducing cardboard waste.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent utilizes the vertical dimension by having pockets extend downward from the lid rather than occupying horizontal space. This dimensional approach allows efficient use of the box interior volume, accommodating plates and extra food without increasing the box footprint or requiring additional packaging materials.
3Ease of operation
If a built-in plate pocket is added to the pizza box, then plates can be stored conveniently, but the box structure becomes more complex
Solution Approach 1:
The box structure is segmented into functional zones: the main food compartment and the plate pocket. The plate pocket is formed by extending walls downward from the lid bottom surface, creating a distinct segmented space that can be accessed independently through the pocket opening in the lid.
Solution Approach 2:
The plate pocket is designed to be self-contained within the box structure, with the pocket opening providing direct access to stored plates. The integrated design eliminates the need for separate plate packages or additional assembly steps, allowing customers to access plates conveniently directly from the box.
4Ease of manufacture
If an extra food pocket is integrated into the box, then promotional food items can be delivered conveniently, but manufacturing becomes more complex
Solution Approach 1:
The extra food pocket is pre-formed as part of the box structure during manufacturing, with walls extending downward from the lid. This preliminary formation of the pocket structure allows for efficient assembly and reduces the need for post-manufacturing assembly steps, maintaining manufacturing simplicity while providing versatile storage options.
Data Source
AI summary
A box for takeout food is comprised of a base, a box lid, and an extra food pocket. The base has foldable sidewalls perpendicular to the base to form a box interior to store a main food item. The box lid has a top surface and a bottom surface and is connected to one of the base sidewalls. The extra food pocket may be separate from the box interior. The extra food pocket extends from an edge of the box lid and has a pocket base with pocket sidewalls. The extra food pocket is movable between a closed position and an open position. The main food item storied in the box interior could be a dessert, a pizza, or other main dish, and the extra food item stored in the extra food pocket could be an appetizer, side dish, dessert, or extra smaller portion of a main dish.