A wooden spring, a method and a helical dryer for making the wooden spring, a wooden spring fabric and a use of the wooden spring

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Solution Overview

Problem

Current packaging materials like wooden wool, packaging pellets, and bubble wrap are inefficient due to their high waste generation, limited protection, and high storage and transportation costs, and there is a need for biodegradable alternatives that utilize wood's strength effectively while minimizing space usage.

Innovation Solution

Development of a biodegradable wooden spring fabric made from helically shaped wooden springs with specific dimensions and interlacing methods, which can be easily handled, stored, and transported, offering improved protection and reduced material usage.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Ease of operation

If wood is cut into thin chips to make wooden wool easier to handle, then ease of operation is improved, but strength is lost

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveease of handlingVSAvoidstrength of wood

Core Design Contradiction:

Ease of operationVSStrength

Solution Approach 1:

The wooden spring is segmented into discrete coils along its length, allowing it to be flexible and easy to handle while maintaining the structural integrity of the wood fibers within each coil section. The spring consists of multiple coil segments that can compress and expand independently.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

The wood strip is formed into a helical/curved shape rather than remaining straight. This curvature creates the spring mechanism that provides both flexibility for handling and structural strength through the coiled geometry, distributing forces across the wooden structure.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #14Spheroidality (Curvature)

2Reliability

If wooden wool is used to provide protection, then reliability is improved, but loss of substance increases due to crumbling

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveprotection capabilityVSAvoidwaste in form of crumbling particles

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSLoss of substance

Solution Approach 1:

Instead of using fragmented wood chips that crumble (wooden wool), the invention inverts the approach by using a continuous wood strip formed into a spring. This continuous structure eliminates the crumbling issue while maintaining protective capabilities through the spring's elastic deformation.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #13The other way round (Inversion)

Solution Approach 2:

The wooden spring combines the structural integrity of solid wood with the protective cushioning properties of spring mechanisms. The helical geometry creates a composite structure that distributes impact forces across the entire spring length, preventing localized failure and material loss.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #40Composite materials

3Reliability

If bubble wrap is used to surround and fill packaging items, then protection is improved, but volume increases making transport expensive

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvephysical protectionVSAvoidspace occupied during transport

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSVolume of moving object

Solution Approach 1:

The wooden spring provides dynamic protection through elastic compression and expansion, replacing the static air-filled bubbles of bubble wrap. The spring can compress under load to provide cushioning, then return to its original shape, offering protection without requiring the expanded volume of bubble wrap during transport.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #15Dynamics

Solution Approach 2:

The wooden spring changes its physical parameters (compression, expansion) in response to external forces, providing adaptive protection. Unlike rigid packaging or expanded bubble wrap, the spring can adjust its volume and density based on the packaging needs, offering protection when expanded and compact storage when compressed.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #35Parameter changes

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 wooden spring fabric provides effective protection, reduces waste, and lowers storage and transportation costs by utilizing wood's strength efficiently and minimizing space, addressing the limitations of existing materials.

Implementation Method 1

a helix dryer for making a wooden spring comprises a tubular spring forming means having a first end and a second end, a heat source adapted to heat the tubular spring forming means

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectHeating: Heating

Implementation Method 2

drying the strip of wood at least partially, by dragging the strip of wood at least partially along a tubular spring forming means of the helix dryer

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectDrying: Desiccation

Data Source

PatentUS20240019010A1A wooden spring, a method and a helical dryer for making the wooden spring, a wooden spring fabric and a use of the wooden spring

Publication Date: 2024.01.18 RAIKU PACKAGING OUE

AI summary

A wooden spring includes a strip of wood of medium thickness a, medium width b, and stretched length l. The coils of strips of wood are made using a method of making wooden springs with a helical shape, the coils having a mean diameter d and an average pitch s. Medium thickness a is 0.2 to 2 millimeters (mm), medium width b is 1 to 10 mm, stretched length l is 10 to 5000 mm, mean diameter d is 6 to 60 mm, and average pitch s is 4 to 40 mm. A wooden fabric interlaced of wooden springs includes helix shaped strips of wood. The wooden springs are interlaced with at least two side by side wooden springs to form a wooden spring fabric.