Transformable Tube Packaging for Stable Standing and Safe Handling
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional packaging for drinkable and spoonable products, such as fruit juices and soups, is ecologically unfavorable, expensive, and poses risks due to material migration, and existing pouches are not suitable for microwave heating or easy handling after heating.
Innovation Solution
A packaging unit featuring a tube-shaped outer packaging with hexagonal and rectangular configurations that can transform for easy opening and standing, using a flexible pouch material attached to the inner side of the outer packaging, which is thermally insulating and allows safe handling after heating.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Stability of the object's composition
If rigid or shape-stable containers are used for packaging, then structural stability and ease of handling are improved, but material consumption increases and cost increases
Solution Approach 1:
The packaging is divided into two separate components: a flexible pouch containing the product and a separate rigid beaker-shaped container. This segmentation allows the pouch to use minimal material while the beaker provides structural stability, resolving the contradiction between material consumption and structural stability.
Solution Approach 2:
The flexible pouch is placed inside the rigid beaker-shaped container, creating a nested structure. The pouch provides product contact and containment, while the outer beaker provides structural stability and handling capability, reducing overall material consumption while maintaining stability.
2Stability of the object's composition
If rigid pouches made from plastic laminate are used, then self-standing properties are improved, but material consumption increases and cost increases
Solution Approach 1:
The self-standing function is separated from the product-containing pouch and assigned to the outer beaker-shaped container. The pouch can be made from thinner, less material-intensive flexible materials while the rigid beaker provides the necessary structural support for standing and stability.
Solution Approach 2:
The inner pouch is made from flexible film material instead of rigid plastic laminate, allowing the use of thinner, more material-efficient flexible shells while the outer rigid container provides the structural properties previously requiring thick rigid material.
3Adaptability or versatility
If conventional pouches are used for microwave heating, then heating capability is improved, but handleability after heating deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The rigid beaker-shaped container acts as an intermediary between the microwave-heated pouch and the user's hand. It provides thermal insulation and a safe gripping surface, allowing the pouch to be microwave-safe while the beaker protects the user from heat, resolving the handleability issue.
Solution Approach 2:
The packaging system combines microwave-safe flexible pouch material with thermally insulating rigid beaker material, creating a composite structure that provides both microwave heating capability and safe handleability after heating.
4Adaptability or versatility
If packaging material is printed on for advertising purposes, then marketing functionality is improved, but risk of material migration into contents increases
Solution Approach 1:
The advertising/printing function is extracted from the inner pouch that contacts the food product and assigned to the outer beaker-shaped container. This separation removes the source of potential material migration from the product contact area while preserving the advertising functionality on the outer surface.
Solution Approach 2:
The unprinted pouch acts as an intermediary barrier between the printed outer beaker and the food product. Even if printing materials could migrate, the pouch provides an additional protective layer, further reducing migration risk while allowing advertising on the outer container.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
The packaging unit offers a cost-effective, eco-friendly solution that prevents material migration, allows safe microwave heating, and provides a stable, easy-to-use form for consuming products, including liquids and semi-solids, while being suitable for both transportation and consumption.
Implementation Method 1
the open ends, in a first position form a hexagonal with two parallel and two pairs of sides enclosing an angle α<180° and in a second position form a rectangle with two parallel and two pairs of sides enclosing an angle of 90°
Implementation Method 2
The outer packaging material may be of any cost-favourable monolithic material. Cardboard or a transparent or opaque plastic is a preferred outer packaging material
Data Source
AI summary
A packaging unit with a packaging pouch (10) of a flexible film-shaped first material and an essentially shape-stable outer packaging (28) of a second material is such that the outer packaging (28) is tube-shaped with open ends (31, 33) which are situated in a plane perpendicular to a tube axis (z). In a first position, the ends (31, 33) form a hexagon with two parallel sides (a, b) and two pairs of sides (c1, c2; d1, d2) each enclosing an angle α<180° lying symmetrically mirror imaged to a plane of symmetry (E), and in a second position form a rectangle with two parallel sides (a, b) and two sides (c, d) lying perpendicular to the plane of symmetry (E). In the first position a straight folding edge (g, h) runs between the corners of the sides (a, b) of both ends (31, 33) lying mirror imaged symmetrical to the plane of symmetry (E), and in the second position the sides (a, b) of both ends lying mirror image symmetrical to the plane of symmetry (E) form an angle α=180°. In the first and second position curved folding edges (l, k; l, m) run between the corners of the sides (a, b) of both ends (31, 33) lying parallel to the plane of symmetry (E) in such a manner that, in the second position, the outer faces (37, 39) of the outer packaging (28) extending between the sides (a, b) of both ends (31, 33) lying parallel to the plane of symmetry (E) are curved in a convex manner and the outer faces (41, 43) of the outer packaging (28) extending between the sides (c, d) of both ends (31, 33) lying perpendicular to the plane of symmetry (E) are curved in a concave manner. By pressing together the straight folding edges (g, h), the outer packaging (28) can be moved from the first position into the second position. One end (31) of the outer packaging (28) provides the pouch (10) with a means for standing up the pouch (10) projecting out of the other end (33) with a removable opening part (26), and the packaging pouch (10) situated in the outer packaging in a longitudinal direction (l) of the pouch corresponding to the tube axis (z), is attached at least partially to the inner side of the outer packaging (28).