Tapered Aluminum Cup Structure for Stackable Beverage Packaging
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing disposable beverage cups are typically made of plastic and lack features for reusability, recyclability, and stackability, while metallic containers are often limited to cans with end closures, failing to provide a tapered or stepped geometry that enhances shipping and storage.
Innovation Solution
A tapered metal cup with shallow wall angles, thin-walled aluminum construction, and optional ribs or smooth sidewalls, featuring a constant or varying wall thickness, and a domed bottom for enhanced structural stability and stackability, along with anti-sticking features to facilitate easy separation.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of manufacture
If plastic material is used for disposable beverage cups, then manufacturing cost and ease of manufacture are improved, but reusability, recyclability, and durability are worsened
Solution Approach 1:
The patent changes the material parameter from plastic to metal (aluminum), transforming the cup from a disposable to a reusable and recyclable container while maintaining manufacturing feasibility through established metal forming processes
Solution Approach 2:
The patent employs metal composite construction with specific aluminum alloys, combining formability with structural integrity and recyclability, creating a material that satisfies both manufacturing ease and environmental sustainability requirements
2Device complexity
If conventional can geometry is used, then manufacturing simplicity is improved, but shipping and storage efficiency are worsened due to lack of stackability
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces asymmetric tapered geometry where the cup diameter decreases from top to bottom, enabling nested stacking configuration that significantly reduces storage volume compared to conventional symmetric cylindrical cans
Solution Approach 2:
The tapered cup design allows one cup to be nested inside another, creating a compact stacked arrangement that optimizes shipping and storage space utilization while maintaining manufacturing simplicity
3Weight of moving object
If thin-walled construction is used, then weight and ease of handling are improved, but structural strength and durability are worsened
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies varying wall thickness distribution where the bottom and rim areas have greater thickness for strength, while the sidewalls maintain thinner gauge for weight reduction, optimizing the strength-to-weight ratio
Solution Approach 2:
The patent incorporates a domed bottom geometry that distributes mechanical stresses more evenly across the structure, enhancing the load-bearing capacity of thin-walled construction without requiring additional material
4Volume of stationary object
If shallow wall angles are used, then stackability is improved, but manufacturing precision requirements are worsened
Solution Approach 1:
The patent incorporates preliminary forming steps including pre-flanging and pre-tapering operations that prepare the cup geometry for stacking, reducing the sensitivity to final dimensional variations and easing manufacturing precision requirements
Data Source
AI summary
A metal cup and method of forming the same is provided. Metal cups of the present disclosure comprise a plurality of thin, straight-walled sections and a tapered profile. A domed portion is provided in the bottom of the cup. The cup may comprise a disposable cup, a reusable cup, or a recyclable cup.