Bottle Crate Segmented Support Members Prevent Collisions
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Solution Overview
Problem
Bottle crates fail to securely hold individual bottles and multi-bottle containers, leading to collisions and instability during transport, as existing designs often result in bottles touching and causing noise, and are difficult to carry manually due to insecure positioning.
Innovation Solution
The bottle crate is designed with laterally delimited storage spaces by side walls and support members arranged on the long and short sides, providing secure holding on all four sides, with isolated support members spaced apart to prevent bottle collisions and ensure stable anchoring of multi-bottle packs, featuring reach-through openings and U-shaped or C-shaped support brackets for secure fit.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If quills or support-like projections are arranged centrally between four bottle storage compartments, then multi-bottle containers can be secured, but individual bottles can touch each other and generate loud noise during transport
Solution Approach 1:
The support structure is segmented into multiple support elements arranged at different positions within each bottle storage compartment. Instead of a single central quill, the patent uses multiple support elements positioned to contact different parts of the bottle, thereby preventing bottle-to-bottle contact while maintaining securing functionality for multi-bottle containers.
Solution Approach 2:
The support elements are designed with specific local characteristics - they are arranged to provide contact points that locally support individual bottles without allowing them to touch each other. The support elements have varying positions and orientations to create optimal local support zones for each bottle while maintaining overall container stability.
2Reliability
If pins are positioned centrally between four slots to secure multi-bottle containers, then container stability is improved, but the crate becomes difficult to carry manually as bottles are not securely held and may fall out when tilted
Solution Approach 1:
The retention system is divided into multiple support elements distributed throughout the crate rather than relying on a few central pins. Each support element independently secures bottles in its local area, creating a distributed retention network that maintains stability even when the crate is tilted or carried manually.
Solution Approach 2:
The support elements extend in multiple dimensions and orientations within the crate, providing support not only from the bottom but also from lateral positions. This multi-dimensional support arrangement ensures bottles remain secured during manual carrying and tilting movements.
3Object-generated harmful factors
If support elements are spaced apart and isolated to prevent bottle collisions, then noise is reduced, but the anchoring of multi-bottle containers may be weakened
Solution Approach 1:
The support structure uses multiple segmented support elements rather than a single continuous support. These elements are strategically spaced to create isolation zones between bottles, preventing collision noise, while their collective arrangement provides sufficient anchoring force for multi-bottle containers through distributed contact points.
Solution Approach 2:
Multiple individual support elements are combined to work together as a unified retention system. While each element is isolated from others to prevent bottle contact, their combined effect provides comprehensive anchoring for multi-bottle containers, merging individual support functions into a collective stability mechanism.
Data Source
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AI summary
In a bottle crate designed for the storage of both single bottles and multi-bottle packs, each storage space is laterally bounded by at least one crate side wall and upwardly projecting support members (8) which are arranged in isolation from each other on the longitudinal and transverse sides of the storage spaces.