Tapered Metal Cup Structure for Stackable Reusable Packaging
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Solution Overview
Problem
There is a need for a reusable and recyclable metal cup that is also stackable to enhance shipping and storage efficiency.
Innovation Solution
The development of a tapered metal cup with shallow wall angles, made from thin-walled aluminum, which is lightweight, rigid, and durable, and features a constant wall thickness, horizontally-extending steps or ribs for added strength, and a domed bottom for enhanced structural stability and stackability.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of manufacture
If a metal cup is made with straight walls and constant thickness, then manufacturing is simpler, but stackability is reduced
Solution Approach 1:
The cup employs asymmetric wall geometry with different angles in different zones. The upper portion has a first angle relative to the vertical axis, while the lower portion has a second angle that is more acute, creating an asymmetric tapered profile that enables stackability while maintaining manufacturing feasibility through progressive forming operations
2Weight of moving object
If the cup wall is made thinner to reduce weight, then the cup becomes lightweight, but structural strength is reduced
Solution Approach 1:
The cup features variable wall thickness distributed non-uniformly throughout the structure. The wall is thickest at the base and progressively thinner toward the rim, with specific thickness ranges at different heights. This local quality variation optimizes strength where needed (base) while minimizing weight (upper portions), achieving a weight reduction compared to uniform thickness designs
Solution Approach 2:
The cup incorporates a curved or domed base geometry rather than a flat bottom. This curvature distributes stress more effectively across the base structure, enhancing structural strength and stackability while allowing for thinner wall sections in the upper portions, thereby reducing overall weight
3Shape
If the cup has a tapered geometry with varying wall angles, then stackability is improved, but manufacturing complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The cup forming process is divided into distinct operational zones: an upper forming zone and a lower forming zone, each with different wall angles. This segmentation allows the complex tapered geometry to be constructed through sequential forming operations, where each zone is formed independently, reducing overall manufacturing complexity while achieving the desired stackable profile
4Ease of manufacture
If plastic cups are used for disposability, then manufacturing is simple and cost-effective, but environmental recyclability is poor
Solution Approach 1:
The invention transitions from plastic material parameters to metal material parameters, fundamentally changing the material composition from non-recyclable plastic to recyclable metal (aluminum or stainless steel). This parameter change maintains manufacturing feasibility through adapted forming processes while eliminating the environmental harm associated with plastic disposal, enabling circular economy through recycling
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.