Tray Tag Mounting Assembly for Stacked Food Tray Identification
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current food storage systems lack a convenient method for identifying and organizing food items, particularly in densely stacked storage units, leading to difficulties in identifying contents, maintaining proper storage conditions, and tracking information such as rotation and temperature requirements.
Innovation Solution
The development of a tray-tag system that securely attaches to trays, featuring a face plate with indicia for displaying information and a mounting assembly with an engagement flap and support tabs to prevent rotation, allowing for easy attachment and detachment, and can be made of dishwasher-safe materials.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Quantity of substance
If trays are stacked closely together in storage units to maximize storage capacity, then storage capacity increases, but visibility of food contents on trays deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
A tag system serves as an intermediary between the food contents and the user. The tag displays information about the food (type, storage conditions, rotation dates) without requiring the user to see the actual food contents. This mediator allows trays to be stacked closely while maintaining information accessibility.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent replaces the mechanical/visual inspection method (looking at food contents directly) with an information display system (tags showing food information). Instead of physically moving trays to see contents, users read tag information, substituting visual detection with information-mediated detection.
2Reliability
If trays are stacked closely together to prevent food contamination and mixing, then food safety improves, but ease of identifying and retrieving specific food deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The tag acts as an intermediary that provides food identification information without requiring physical access to the food contents. Users can identify and retrieve specific food by reading tag information on the exterior of stacked trays, maintaining both food safety through close stacking and ease of operation through information accessibility.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent moves the information display from the interior dimension (food contents visible through opening trays) to the exterior dimension (tags visible on tray exteriors). This dimensional shift allows information access without compromising the close-stacking arrangement that ensures food safety.
3Measurement precision
If multiple trays are withdrawn to identify food contents before retrieval, then accurate food identification is achieved, but time consumption increases
Solution Approach 1:
The tag provides food identification information in advance, on the exterior of the tray, before the user needs to retrieve the food. This preliminary display of information eliminates the need to withdraw multiple trays to identify contents, achieving both accurate identification and time efficiency.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent replaces the mechanical process of withdrawing and inspecting multiple trays with an information-based system where tag displays provide immediate identification. This substitution eliminates the time-consuming mechanical action of moving trays while maintaining accurate food identification.
4Loss of information
If manual logging and tracking of food information is required, then complete information record-keeping is achieved, but operational complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The tag system is self-service in that it automatically displays food information (type, storage conditions, rotation dates) without requiring manual logging or external tracking systems. The information is inherently attached to and displayed with the food container, eliminating the need for separate record-keeping operations and reducing operational complexity.
Data Source
AI summary
A tray-tag that can be mounted on a tray and display information about items on the tray is provided. A tray-tag of the present invention includes a face plate having front and back surfaces. The front surface of the face plate is adapted to have indicia thereon that display information about the items on the tray. The tray-tag also includes a mounting assembly capable of selectively and securely coupling the tray-tag to a tray. The mounting assembly includes an engagement flap and first and second support tabs. The engagement flap and the support tabs securely couple the tray-tag to the tray. The engagement flap extends over a rim of the tray, while the support tabs extend underneath the rim to couple the tray-tag to the tray. Additionally, the support tabs maintain the face plate in a generally vertical orientation.