Collapsible Triangular Pizza Container with Vented Lid
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional pizza storage and reheating solutions fail to efficiently store and reheat multiple pizza slices, leading to space inefficiency, difficulty in cleaning, and inadequate crisping due to triangular slices not fitting well in square or round containers, and requiring individual microwaving.
Innovation Solution
A collapsible, triangular, multi-slice pizza storage container with a crisper and separator tray, featuring a vented, lockable lid and expandable design that maintains volume consistency, allowing for efficient storage, reheating, and serving of multiple slices without the need for separate plates.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of manufacture
If conventional square or round storage containers are used for triangular pizza slices, then the containers can be easily manufactured and cleaned, but the storage space efficiency decreases and the pizza slices do not fit well
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies asymmetry by designing the storage container with a triangular cross-section that matches the triangular shape of pizza slices. This asymmetric design allows the container to fit the slices perfectly, eliminating wasted space in the corners and improving storage efficiency while maintaining ease of manufacture through simple geometric form.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent transitions from conventional two-dimensional flat storage surfaces to a three-dimensional triangular prism container that utilizes vertical space and matches the geometry of the pizza slices. This dimensional approach allows multiple slices to be stacked efficiently within the triangular cross-section, maximizing volume utilization.
2Ease of operation
If conventional plates and containers are used for microwaving pizza slices, then the microwaving process is simple, but the pizza slices do not crisp properly and require washing of additional items
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies multi-functionality by designing the triangular container to serve multiple purposes: storage, reheating, and crisping. The container can be directly placed in the microwave, eliminating the need for separate plates. The design includes features like ventilation holes and raised edges that facilitate crisping while maintaining simplicity of operation.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent merges the storage container and serving plate into a single integrated triangular container. This combination eliminates the need for separate microwaving plates and reduces the number of items to wash, while the container's design features (ventilation holes, raised edges) ensure proper crisping during microwaving.
3Adaptability or versatility
If conventional expandable and collapsible pizza containers are used, then the storage flexibility improves, but the corners, folds and crevices become hard to clean
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies segmentation by dividing the container into distinct sections with smooth transitions. The triangular design with defined edges and corners creates clear segments that are easier to clean compared to complex folds and crevices. The container can still expand and collapse while maintaining smooth surfaces without hard-to-reach areas.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent inverts the conventional approach by using a rigid triangular structure that maintains its shape rather than relying on flexible folds. This inversion allows the container to expand and collapse through a different mechanism that avoids creating crevices, making cleaning easier while preserving storage flexibility.
4Ease of operation
If individual pizza slices are wrapped or put into multiple storage containers, then each slice can be stored separately, but unnecessary space is consumed in the refrigerator
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies segmentation by designing the triangular container with dividers or compartments that can separate individual pizza slices while maintaining a compact triangular footprint. This allows multiple slices to be stored in a single container rather than requiring multiple separate containers, reducing refrigerator space consumption while enabling individual slice access.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent applies nesting by designing the triangular container to efficiently stack and nest multiple slices vertically within the triangular cross-section. The geometry allows slices to be arranged in a space-efficient manner, maximizing the use of container volume and minimizing the number of containers needed in the refrigerator.
Data Source
AI summary
A collapsible generally triangular pizza storage container with a set of microwaveable triangular trays for the separation, microwaving and serving of individual slices of pizza. The storage container expands to approximately two times its collapsed configuration. It uses a novel, non-accordion type pleating of its side walls that allow for the container to have the same horizontal cross sectional size along the vertical axis of the container. The pleat design has three wall sections that each fold in on themselves to form a set of three nested side wall portions. Each wall section is separated from the other by a small gap. The lid also has a generally triangular configuration with a compressible gasket, a set of locking wings extending from the periphery that frictionally engage a rigid triangular top ring of the container, and a central air vent.