Ventilated Container Blank for Heat Retention and Moisture Control

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Solution Overview

Problem

Conventional food containers fail to maintain optimal moisture and heat levels during transportation, leading to soggy or cold food products, and often lack secure closure and stacking features.

Innovation Solution

A collapsible, stackable container with a venting assembly along its edges, constructed from a foldable sheet material, which enhances ventilation to prevent moisture buildup and retain heat, while providing a secure closure mechanism and improved handling.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Temperature

If the container is sealed and unventilated, then heat retention is improved, but moisture buildup causes food to become soggy

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveheat retentionVSAvoidmoisture buildup

Core Design Contradiction:

TemperatureVSObject-affected harmful factors

Solution Approach 1:

The container incorporates separate vent panels integrated into the lid structure, dividing the lid into functional segments: sealed portions for heat retention and vented portions for moisture control. This segmentation allows simultaneous achievement of both heat retention and moisture prevention

Inventive Principle:

Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

The lid is designed with non-uniform properties - certain areas are sealed while specific regions contain vent panels with openings. This local differentiation in sealing quality enables the container to maintain heat where needed while allowing moisture escape at designated vent locations

Inventive Principle:

Principle #3Local quality

2Object-affected harmful factors

If the container is too ventilated, then moisture control is improved, but excessive heat loss occurs during product transfer

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvemoisture controlVSAvoidheat loss

Core Design Contradiction:

Object-affected harmful factorsVSTemperature

Solution Approach 1:

Rather than providing full ventilation across the entire lid, the design implements partial ventilation through specific vent panels positioned at locations that balance moisture control with heat retention. The vent openings are sized and positioned to provide sufficient moisture escape while minimizing overall heat loss

Inventive Principle:

Principle #16Partial or excessive action

3Ease of operation

If multiple containers are placed in a heated bag for carrying, then convenient transport is improved, but container formation time increases

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvetransport convenienceVSAvoidcontainer formation time

Core Design Contradiction:

Ease of operationVSLoss of time

Solution Approach 1:

The container blank is pre-designed with integrated vent panels and fold lines that guide automatic formation. The vent panels are pre-positioned on the blank, eliminating the need for separate vent creation steps during container assembly, thus reducing formation time while maintaining transport functionality

Inventive Principle:

Principle #10Preliminary action

4Reliability

If the container includes secure closure features, then lid-to-base securing is improved, but device complexity increases

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveclosure securityVSAvoidcontainer structure

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The closure features are merged into the lid structure itself, with tabs and recesses integrated into the lid panels. This combining of closure functionality with the existing lid structure achieves secure closure without adding separate complex mechanisms

Inventive Principle:

Principle #5Merging (Combining)

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 ventilated container maintains food quality by keeping pizzas 30% to 67% hotter than non-ventilated containers, and allows for stable stacking and secure handling, improving user experience.

Implementation Method 1

moisture captured within the container may make the drier parts of the food product soggy

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectEvaporation: Evaporation

Implementation Method 2

excessive heat loss during product transfer

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectConvection: Convection

Data Source

PatentUS10118726B2Blank and methods of constructing a ventilated container from the blank

Publication Date: 2018.11.06 WESTROCK SHARED SERVICES LLC

AI summary

A blank of foldable sheet material for forming a container is provided. The blank includes a bottom panel, a top panel, and a set of vent panels configured to form at least one venting assembly positioned on the top panel of the container.