Adjustable Transport Box End Cap for Length Adaptation

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Solution Overview

Problem

Existing transport boxes for motor vehicles lack a simple and safe method to adjust their length, leading to increased air resistance and limited storage capacity, especially when mounted on rear carrying systems, as they are typically transversely installed to minimize flow resistance but cannot accommodate bulky items.

Innovation Solution

A transport box design with adjustable end caps that can be extended or shortened to fit various cargo sizes, featuring a groove and collar system for secure locking, allowing for symmetrical or asymmetrical length adjustment without the need for complex mechanisms, and can be easily exchanged without tools.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Adaptability or versatility

If the transport box is designed with a fixed length, then the structure is simple, but the storage capacity cannot be adapted to different cargo sizes

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvestorage capacity adaptationVSAvoidstructure complexity
Core Design Contradiction:
Adaptability or versatilityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The transport box is divided into a receiving body and a separate cap that can be attached or removed. The cap acts as an independent segment that can be exchanged to change the effective length of the box, allowing adaptation to different cargo sizes without modifying the main structure.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

The transport box transitions from a fixed-length design to a dynamically adjustable length by using caps with different lengths that can be attached to the receiving body. This allows the box to adapt its dimensions based on the cargo requirements while maintaining a simple base structure.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #15Dynamics

2Adaptability or versatility

If the transport box is designed with a telescopic mechanism to adjust length, then the storage capacity can be changed, but the structure becomes complicated and expensive

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvelength adjustment capabilityVSAvoidmechanism complexity
Core Design Contradiction:
Adaptability or versatilityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The telescopic mechanism is extracted and replaced by a simpler cap attachment system. Instead of having the receiving body itself extend or telescope, a separate cap is attached to the end of the receiving body to extend the effective length. This separates the adjustment function from the main structure.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #2Taking out (Extraction)

Solution Approach 2:

The static receiving body is complemented by a dynamic cap attachment system that allows length adjustment. The cap can be attached or removed to change the effective length, providing dynamic adaptability without requiring the receiving body to have complex telescopic mechanisms.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #15Dynamics

3Object-affected harmful factors

If the transport box is mounted transversely on the rear carrying system to minimize air resistance, then the flow resistance is reduced, but bulky items cannot be accommodated

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveair resistanceVSAvoidstorage volume
Core Design Contradiction:
Object-affected harmful factorsVSVolume of moving object

Solution Approach 1:

The transport box is segmented into a fixed receiving body and an adjustable cap. By attaching caps of different lengths, the storage volume can be increased to accommodate bulky items while maintaining the transverse mounting position that minimizes air resistance.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

The effective length parameter of the transport box is changed by exchanging caps with different lengths. This allows the storage volume to be adjusted to accommodate different cargo sizes, including bulky items, while the box remains in the optimized transverse mounting position.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #35Parameter changes

4Volume of moving object

If the transport box is extended in length to accommodate bulky items, then the storage capacity increases, but the air resistance increases

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvestorage volumeVSAvoidair resistance
Core Design Contradiction:
Volume of moving objectVSObject-affected harmful factors

Solution Approach 1:

The transport box uses a segmented design with a fixed receiving body and an attachable cap. This allows the storage volume to be extended only when needed by attaching a longer cap, rather than permanently increasing the length and thus the air resistance.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

The transport box transitions from a fixed length to a dynamically adjustable length by exchanging caps. The effective length can be extended to accommodate bulky items when necessary, and reduced when not needed, allowing optimization between storage capacity and air resistance based on the cargo requirements.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #15Dynamics

Data Source

PatentEP2368766B1Transport box
Publication Date: 2012.10.10 MFT TRANSPORT SYST
  • EP2368766B1 patent drawingFigure 1
  • EP2368766B1 patent drawingFigure 2
  • EP2368766B1 patent drawingFigure 3

AI summary

The transport box (500) has a transport good-receiving body (502) which is opened or closed at a side with a cover (504), where a front side of the receiving body is closed by an external cap. A fastening unit is formed at the open front side of the receiving body for detachable fastening of the cap for closing the front side. A selectable or selected cap made of multiple caps with different cap depths is mounted on the open front side by the fastening unit.