Adjustable Tray With Interchangeable Limit Blocks
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing tray designs require multiple sizes to accommodate different panel sizes, leading to inconvenience and waste when a new panel size is introduced or when a tray is not available for a specific panel size.
Innovation Solution
A tray with a bottom plate, surrounding wall, and separably assembled limit blocks featuring protrusions and grooves, allowing for adjustable storage regions of varying sizes by assembling different limit blocks, which can be easily combined and rearranged to fit different-sized plate-shaped parts.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If various trays of different sizes are prepared to correspond to various panels of different sizes, then the adaptability to different panel sizes is improved, but the device complexity and inventory requirements worsen
Solution Approach 1:
The tray is divided into a base tray and multiple detachable limit blocks that can be independently assembled. The limit blocks are segmented into different sizes and can be combined in various configurations to adapt to different panel dimensions, eliminating the need for multiple complete tray designs.
Solution Approach 2:
A single base tray design serves multiple functions by accommodating different panel sizes through the interchangeable limit blocks. The universal base tray combined with various limit block configurations can adapt to diverse panel dimensions, making one tray design serve the purpose of multiple specialized trays.
2Manufacturing precision
If a new tray is required for each new panel size, then the precision matching between tray and panel is improved, but the loss of time and productivity worsen due to inventory management
Solution Approach 1:
The tray configuration is made dynamic through the detachable and reconfigurable limit blocks. Instead of static, fixed-size trays, the system allows real-time adjustment of tray boundaries by assembling different limit block combinations, enabling rapid adaptation to new panel sizes without manufacturing new trays.
Solution Approach 2:
Multiple limit blocks of different sizes are pre-prepared and stored in inventory. When a new panel size is introduced or a tray is needed, the appropriate limit blocks are already available for quick assembly, eliminating delays associated with manufacturing or sourcing new trays.
3Adaptability or versatility
If various trays of different sizes are maintained in inventory, then the adaptability to different panel sizes is improved, but the loss of substance and storage space worsen
Solution Approach 1:
Instead of storing multiple complete trays of different sizes, the inventory is segmented into a single base tray design and a set of modular limit blocks. This segmentation allows the same base tray to be reused indefinitely with different limit block configurations, dramatically reducing material consumption and storage requirements.
Solution Approach 2:
The base tray and limit blocks are merged into a unified modular system where the limit blocks attach to the base tray to create customized tray configurations. This merging allows one physical base tray to function as multiple different-sized trays through combination with various limit blocks, eliminating the need to manufacture and store multiple separate tray units.
Data Source
AI summary
A tray includes a bottom plate, a surrounding wall, and limit blocks. The surrounding wall surrounds a periphery of the bottom plate. A plurality of protrusions are arranged on an inner side of the surrounding wall. The limit blocks are separably assembled on the bottom plate. Each of the limit blocks has a limit groove and a limit portion. The limit groove is adapted to be clamped with one of the protrusions. The limit portion is positioned on an opposite side of the limit groove. In this way, the tray may correspond to plates of different sizes via the limit blocks.