Happy Bear: A Safe and Unbreakable Silicone Meal Plate for Kids

Designed by ChungSheng Chen

Mealtime with young kids can often be a noisy and messy affair, with cutlery beating on plates and bowls breaking. To address these issues, designer ChungSheng Chen has created the Happy Bear meal plate. Made from food-grade silicone, this innovative plate not only eliminates the annoying noise but also prevents breakage. With its unique features and adorable design, the Happy Bear meal plate brings happiness and enjoyment to every meal moment.

Chen's inspiration for the Happy Bear meal plate came from observing children making noise with their cutlery and accidentally breaking their plates. He wanted to design a plate that would solve these problems and create a more pleasant dining experience for both children and parents. The entire plate is made from food-grade silicone, ensuring safety and durability. Unlike rival plastic plates, the Happy Bear plate does not leach any plasticizer and is BPA-free.

The Happy Bear meal plate stands out from other designs with its exceptional properties. It is unbreakable, making it perfect for young kids who are prone to accidents. The plate is also easy to clean and can sustain temperatures ranging from -40°C to 220°C (-40°F to 446°F). Its soft-touch surface coating provides a silky feel, and the exclusive duo colors forming technology highlights the bear facial outline, giving the plate a charming animal expression. This design feature keeps children engaged and focused on their meals, bringing joy and excitement to every dining experience. Additionally, the plate can be used as a mold to make chocolates, cakes, or bread.

The Happy Bear meal plate is made using 100% food-grade silicone and is produced using a duo-color formation method. Its surface is coated with a silky soft-touch coating, enhancing the overall touch and feel. The plate's specifications include a size of L270 W220 H30 mm and a package size of L271 W221 H31 mm in transparent PET material.

Designed by ChungSheng Chen, the Happy Bear meal plate was developed in collaboration with Tainan University of Technology/Product Design Department, Acdesign Associates International Co., Ltd, and Jin Hui Co., Ltd. The project started in June 2015 and was completed in October 2015 in Tainan, Taiwan. The design was exhibited at the 2016 Creative Expo Taiwan and the 2017 Giftex International Variety Gift Expo Tokyo.

Extensive research was conducted to create the Happy Bear meal plate. The research objectives included achieving a safe and unbreakable plate with brilliant duo colors for kids. The methodology involved morphological analysis and image scaling, with data collected through market surveys and target user analysis. Tools such as Solidworks, Sketch-Up, and 3D printing were utilized during the research process.

The design team faced several challenges during the development of the Happy Bear meal plate. The duo-color formation for silicone material was particularly challenging, and highlighting the cute bear facial outline proved to be even more difficult. After numerous trials and errors, the team successfully applied a special molding technique to achieve the desired silhouette bear shape and eye-catching color planning.

The Happy Bear meal plate is not only a practical and innovative design but also a recipient of the prestigious Bronze A' Design Award in the Baby, Kids, and Children's Products category in 2018. This award recognizes designs that exhibit strong technical and creative skills, contributing to improvements in quality of life. With its safety, durability, and delightful design, the Happy Bear meal plate truly makes mealtime a joyful and hassle-free experience for both children and parents.