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Polo Daily Pack· Jan 2021
A Playful Dispenser for Polo Mints
Summary
Since Polo mints can be consumed throughout the day, it makes sense to have a container that fits neatly in the pocket, deploys mints one by one and is a fun to interact with. This project aims to create such a dispenser while considering manufacturability and brand identity.
Disclaimer
This is a mock project made purely for academic purposes and is in no way affiliated with Polo Mints or Nestlé. All rights belong to their respective owners.
Product Showcase
The Mint With The Hole
The tagline ‘The Mint With The Hole’ is iconic to Polo Mints and is a integral part of the brand identity. Any Polo Mint branded product should reflect this idenitiy. What better way to represent this identity than making a dispenser with the same iconic hole?
Introduction
Scenario
Polo Mints are people’s EDC
EDC or Everyday Carry is a term that refers to a group of objects that someone may use so regularly that it remains in their pockets or bag most of their day. This usually includes electronics, cash and cards, stationary, makeup and other such things. Polo Mints can be considered as everyday carry because people frequently consume them as mouth freshner rather than as a confectionery.
Problem
They’re just not packaged well enough for the job.
They come wrapped as a tube which shows a nasty bulge in the pants when kept in the pocket. A tube may be the most packing method for the given shape but it is certainly not the most convenient. Moreover, the packaging needs to be torn and peeled off, which leaves no means to properly reseal a pack for future use; something which can get mildly infuriating when done multiple times over the course of a day.
All images from Polo Mint’s Instagram page @polomintuki
Design Checklist
An everyday carry dispenser for Polo Mints has to be -
Compact
Needs to hold not too many but just enough mints for a day or two
Flat
Flatter objects pack better and don’t cause your pocket to bulge
Resealable
Has to be easy and convenient to pop a mint out and shut again
Refillable
Just buy a regular Polo tube and refill; economical and sustainable
Ideation
Step 1
Quick brainstorming sketches
Step 2
Sketching in hardware
Hardware Sketch #1
Quick and dirty cardboard mockup of an idea to understand its in-hand feel
Hardware Sketch #2
Quick and dirty mockup with a clear OHP sheet to see how the mints interact inside
Prototyping
Prototype #1
Testing the functionality by using a rubber band and laser cut clear acrylic
Form
A flat, pocketable slab with generously rounded edges for a playful appearance. The most characteristic feature of the form can be seen in the silhouette - a hole in an otherwise uncharacteristic shell.
Signifier
Peekaboo! 🖐️👋
The core intentionally peeks through the hole to signify what the appropriate interaction should be. Cutting things off abruptly at the boundaries of the screen is a common technique used in virtual interfaces to let a user know if the content is scrollable. The same principle was applied to hint the user to push the core down to reveal it and get the treat!
Engineering
Manufacturing
Designed to be made
Injection Molded Body
In order to be easy to mass manufacture, the body consists of only four components, each that can fit in a mold producible through injection molding.
Plastic Welded Components
Making two halves and welding them together instead of making a single deep component seemed more feasible to circumvent having a draft angle and to keep all surfaces parallel or perpendicular.
Details
Pampering the subconscious OCD 🔬
The brain subconsciously analyses and appreciates things that are uniform and symmetrical. Keeping the horizontal and vertical spacing of the hole symmetrical while mainting compactness left only a tiny area for the spring to operate, so it had to be designed as an arc to increase it’s length and preserve function and longevity. Basically, the entire design engineering revolved around making the hole look pretty.
Details
How it works
Spring
A compliant spring such as this one is a flexible mechanism that achieves force and motion transmission through elastic body deformation.
Locking
The the end of the spring moves into a gully marked by a rail and the wall of the shell such that it is locked from moving either up or down, and can be moved only along the rail.
Unlocking
On the side of the shell, there is a cutout to let a narrow pin pass through, which can be used to push the spring out of the rails and allow the core to be pulled out.
Product Images
Credits
Guide
Prof. Purba Joshi
Course
DE322 — Materials and Processes @ IDC School of Design, IITB
Atish Waghwase
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