Stackable Beverage Crate With Arched Side Walls

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Solution Overview

Problem

Existing plastic molded beverage crates are heavy, difficult to manipulate, and lack sufficient structural strength to efficiently bear load forces, especially when stacked.

Innovation Solution

A lightweight plastic molded beverage crate design featuring arch-shaped side walls with interconnected lateral and vertical beams, load-bearing pads, and a concave bottom plate, which distributes load forces effectively and reduces material usage while maintaining structural integrity.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Strength

If traditional solid side walls are used in plastic crates, then structural strength is improved, but weight increases

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvestructural strengthVSAvoidcrate weight

Core Design Contradiction:

StrengthVSWeight of moving object

Solution Approach 1:

The side walls are segmented into a lattice structure composed of multiple arch-shaped members interconnected by beams, replacing solid walls. This segmentation reduces material usage and weight while maintaining structural strength through the distributed framework design.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

The side walls incorporate arch-shaped members with curved geometries. The arch shape efficiently distributes vertical loads through its curved form, providing superior structural strength compared to straight beams while using less material, thus reducing weight.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #14Spheroidality (Curvature)

2Weight of moving object

If material is removed to reduce weight, then ease of manipulation is improved, but load-bearing capacity deteriorates

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvecrate weightVSAvoidload-bearing capacity

Core Design Contradiction:

Weight of moving objectVSStrength

Solution Approach 1:

The arch-shaped members with curved geometries efficiently distribute vertical loads through their curved form, providing superior structural strength compared to straight beams while using less material. This allows weight reduction while maintaining load-bearing capacity.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #14Spheroidality (Curvature)

Solution Approach 2:

The crate structure features localized reinforcement at critical load-bearing points such as corner columns and connection joints. This local quality approach ensures that material is concentrated where most needed for strength, allowing other areas to be lighter, thus reducing overall weight while maintaining load-bearing capacity.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #3Local quality

3Strength

If arch-shaped side walls with beams are used, then structural strength is improved, but device complexity increases

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvestructural strengthVSAvoidstructural complexity

Core Design Contradiction:

StrengthVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The arch-shaped side walls are integrally molded as single-piece components that combine multiple structural functions (support, load distribution, and lateral bracing) into unified elements. This merging reduces the number of separate parts and assembly steps, thereby reducing device complexity despite the enhanced structural design.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #5Merging (Combining)

Solution Approach 2:

The arch-shaped members with integrated beams serve multiple structural functions simultaneously: they provide vertical support, distribute loads through their curved geometry, and offer lateral bracing. This multi-functionality reduces the need for separate structural components, simplifying the overall structure.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #6Universality (Multi-functionality)

4Reliability

If load-bearing pads are added to distribute forces, then reliability is improved, but device complexity increases

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveload distributionVSAvoidstructural complexity

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The load-bearing pads are integrally molded as part of the corner column structures, combining the load distribution function with the existing structural support elements. This integration avoids adding separate components, thereby maintaining simplicity while improving reliability through enhanced load distribution.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #5Merging (Combining)

Data Source

PatentUS8297442B1Light-weight beverage crate

Publication Date: 2012.10.30 BYRON KENT

AI summary

A light-weight stackable beverage crate includes a bottom plate, four side walls forming an interior space for placement of objects, and four vertically extending columns interconnecting the side walls and bottom plate. Each side wall includes a pattern of outer and inner arches interconnected by lateral beams, vertical support beams, and cross-beams. Side walls may include handle recesses. A lateral beam defines an upper edge of the side wall and another lateral beam defines a lower edge of the side wall. An upper end of the column extends above the upper edge of the side walls, and a lower end of the column extends below the lower edge of the side walls. The upper and lower ends of the column are capable of distributing a load force. When stacked, the only load-bearing points of contact between crates above are the upper and lower ends of the columns.