Appliance Packaging Unit with Attached Inserts for Easy Unpacking

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Solution Overview

Problem

Current packaging designs for household appliances require multiple steps for unpacking, often involving removable packing media that can fall out and disrupt the unpacking experience, lack differentiation in design, and use unsustainable materials like EPS, which are costly to recycle.

Innovation Solution

A packaging unit with two outer parts that can be connected and separated along a horizontal longitudinal axis, incorporating packaging parts that remain attached to one outer part during separation, ensuring easy and safe unpacking without lifting, using recyclable materials like corrugated cardboard and molded fiber.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Reliability

If traditional folding boxes with removable packing media are used, then product protection is achieved, but unpacking becomes cumbersome and complex

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveproduct protectionVSAvoidunpacking process
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSEase of operation

Solution Approach 1:

The packaging is divided into two main parts: a stationary outer carton and a movable inner carton that can be easily pulled out. This segmentation allows the product to remain protected during transport while enabling simple, single-step unpacking by simply pulling the inner carton forward, eliminating the need to remove separate packing media.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

The inner carton is extracted as a separate, movable component from the outer packaging. This extraction allows the inner carton to be easily removed from the outer carton during unpacking, while the outer carton remains stationary and provides continuous protection. The packing media are integrated into the inner carton structure, eliminating separate removable components.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #2Taking out (Extraction)

2Reliability

If traditional folding boxes with separate packing media are used, then product protection is provided, but the unpacking experience is disrupted and negative

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveproduct protectionVSAvoidunpacking steps
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The packing media are merged with the inner carton structure, forming an integrated unit rather than separate components. This merging ensures that protection functions are built into the packaging structure itself, eliminating the need for separate removable packing media and reducing unpacking steps to a simple pull-out motion.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #5Merging (Combining)

Solution Approach 2:

The inner carton is pre-positioned within the outer carton during packaging, with all protection functions already in place. This preliminary arrangement ensures that during unpacking, the user simply needs to pull the inner carton forward, and all protection mechanisms are already configured, eliminating the need for additional setup or removal steps.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #10Preliminary action

3Productivity

If standardized packaging designs are used for all manufacturers, then production efficiency is improved, but brand differentiation and customer experience are lost

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveproduction efficiencyVSAvoidbrand differentiation
Core Design Contradiction:
ProductivityVSAdaptability or versatility

Solution Approach 1:

While maintaining the standardized basic structure of the packaging system, each manufacturer can apply local quality differentiation through customized inner carton designs, branding, and protective features. This allows production efficiency to be maintained through standardization while enabling brand differentiation through localized customization of the inner carton and packaging aesthetics.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #3Local quality

Data Source

PatentEP4603410A1Packaging unit for an appliance, preferably for a domestic appliance
Publication Date: 2025.08.20 MIELE & CO KG
  • EP4603410A1 patent drawingFigure 1~2
  • EP4603410A1 patent drawingFigure 3~4
  • EP4603410A1 patent drawingFigure 5~6

AI summary

The invention relates to a packaging unit (1) for an appliance (2), preferably for a household appliance (2), having a first outer part (13) and a second outer part (14), which are designed to completely enclose the appliance (2) to be packaged on the outside, preferably in a cuboid shape, wherein the two outer parts (13, 14) can be connected to and separated from one another along the longitudinal axis (X), and further having at least one packaging part (10; 11; 12) which is arranged within the first outer part (13) and/or the second outer part (14), wherein the packaging part (10; 11; 12) and/or an outer part (13; 14) is/are designed such that the packaging part (10; 11; 12) is held within one of the two outer parts (13; 14) when the two outer parts (13, 14) are separated along the longitudinal axis (X).