Triangular Food Package With Fold-Flat Side Wall for Top Filling
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing triangular food packaging with a hinged lid is difficult to fill from the top, especially when handling fragile items like cake slices, which can be damaged or have their appearance affected by contact with side walls.
Innovation Solution
A flap forming a side wall can be pivoted flat onto a surface, allowing access from the top and enabling easy filling, with features like a one-piece design, congruent base and flap, and a triangular lid element for enhanced accessibility and stability.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If the packaging has a fixed side wall structure, then the packaging maintains structural stability, but filling becomes difficult and may damage fragile items
Solution Approach 1:
The side wall is designed as a movable flap that can be pivoted between a vertical position (providing structural stability during storage and transport) and a horizontal position (providing easy access for filling). This dynamic structure allows the packaging to adapt its configuration based on operational needs, resolving the contradiction between stability and ease of filling.
Solution Approach 2:
The packaging structure is divided into separate components: a base, a movable flap forming the side wall, and a lid. The flap can be independently pivoted relative to the base, allowing the side wall to be segmented from the main body. This segmentation enables the side wall to move independently for filling while the base and lid maintain structural integrity.
2Ease of operation
If the flap is hinged to form a side wall, then the packaging can be assembled from flat components, but the flap obstructs access to the packaging interior
Solution Approach 1:
The flap is designed to pivot from a vertical side wall position to a horizontal position lying flat against the base. When horizontal, the flap no longer obstructs access to the packaging interior, allowing easy insertion of items from above. The hinge mechanism enables this dynamic repositioning without adding complex assembly requirements.
3Ease of manufacture
If the packaging uses multiple separate components, then assembly flexibility is improved, but manufacturing and material costs increase
Solution Approach 1:
The base and the flap are formed as a single integrated piece of material, eliminating the need for separate components and reducing material usage. The hinge connection is created as an integral part of the molded structure rather than requiring separate hinges. This merging maintains the functional flexibility of having movable parts while reducing manufacturing complexity and material costs.
Solution Approach 2:
The integrated base-flap structure serves multiple functions: it provides the base support, forms the movable side wall, and creates the hinge mechanism all in one component. This multi-functionality reduces the total number of parts needed, simplifying manufacturing and reducing material consumption while maintaining assembly flexibility.
Data Source
Figure 1
Figure 2~3
Figure 4
AI summary
Packaging (1), in particular for foodstuffs, with a triangular base (2) and at least one flap (3) which is hinged to the base (2), wherein the flap (3) in a closed state of the packaging forms at least part of at least one side wall (4, 5, 6) of the packaging (1), wherein the flap (3) in an open state of the packaging (1) is substantially completely pivotable flat onto a base.