Trayless Produce Flow Packing With Aerated Bundle Packaging
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Solution Overview
Problem
The use of rigid plastic trays for containing small produce during flow packing is inefficient and environmentally harmful due to increased costs and carbon footprint, necessitating a cost-effective and sustainable alternative.
Innovation Solution
Aerated packaging material, such as a net or perforated paper, is used with a scaffold that includes a produce outlet opening, allowing produce to be bundled and sealed without trays, facilitating reuse of the scaffold and reducing packaging weight and bulk.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If rigid plastic trays are used to contain small produce during flow packing, then produce protection and containment are improved, but packaging costs and carbon footprint increase
Solution Approach 1:
The invention extracts and removes the rigid plastic tray from the packaging system, replacing it with a trayless flow packing method where produce is directly packed into flexible packaging using airflow. This eliminates the harmful plastic tray component while maintaining produce protection through the flexible packaging and airflow control mechanism.
Solution Approach 2:
The invention replaces expensive, non-biodegradable rigid plastic trays with disposable flexible packaging materials that are biodegradable or recyclable. The flexible packaging serves as a single-use alternative that can be directly sealed and disposed of, eliminating the need for reusable rigid trays and reducing long-term environmental impact.
2Ease of operation
If rigid plastic trays are used for produce containment, then produce scattering is prevented, but packaging weight and processing costs increase
Solution Approach 1:
The invention replaces the mechanical rigid tray structure with an airflow-based containment system. Compressed air is directed through nozzles to create an air cushion that supports and contains the produce during flow packing, eliminating the need for physical rigid trays and significantly reducing packaging weight.
Solution Approach 2:
The invention uses pneumatic principles by introducing compressed air through nozzles to create an air cushion that levitates and contains the produce during the flow packing process. This pneumatic containment system replaces heavy rigid plastic trays with lightweight air pressure, reducing packaging weight while maintaining effective produce containment.
3Shape
If rigid plastic trays are used for produce display, then aesthetic presentation is improved, but environmental sustainability deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The invention uses flexible packaging materials that can be made from biodegradable or recyclable composite materials, replacing conventional rigid plastic trays. These composite flexible materials maintain the aesthetic display quality needed for produce presentation while being environmentally sustainable, thus reducing carbon footprint.
4Device complexity
If traditional flow packing without trays is used, then packaging simplicity is improved, but produce scattering and damage increase
Solution Approach 1:
The invention replaces the mechanical tray structure with a pneumatic air cushion system that provides produce protection during flow packing. The compressed air directed through nozzles creates a protective air barrier that prevents produce scattering and damage, maintaining reliability while simplifying the packaging structure by eliminating rigid trays.
Data Source
AI summary
The present disclosure generally relates to a system and method to pack and convey fresh produce, in particular, for flow packing produce with an aerated packaging material into package bundles of produce prior to sealing thereof for handling and delivery.