Bucket Insert for Pipe Nipple Storage and Transport
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Solution Overview
Problem
There is a need for a convenient means to organize, store, and transport pipe nipples and other elongate objects while protecting them from damage during transport, as existing solutions fail to effectively prevent thread damage.
Innovation Solution
A kit comprising an upper tray, a lower tray, and a pillar, where the trays are designed to fit within a five-gallon bucket, with the pillar spanning between them to suspend the upper tray over the lower tray, providing a secure and compact storage solution that accommodates objects of various widths, diameters, and materials.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If pipe nipples are transported without specialized storage, then transport convenience is improved, but thread damage risk increases
Solution Approach 1:
The storage system is divided into multiple compartments: upper tray with individual slots for each pipe nipple, lower tray for additional storage, and separate pillar structures. This segmentation allows each pipe nipple to be isolated in its own slot, preventing contact and thread damage during transport while maintaining overall portability.
Solution Approach 2:
The upper tray, lower tray, and pillar components nest together when not in use, creating a compact form factor that is easy to transport. The pillar fits within the tray structures, and the entire assembly fits within a five-gallon bucket, allowing the protective storage system to be carried conveniently without requiring separate transport equipment.
2Adaptability or versatility
If multiple pipe nipple types are carried for various applications, then application versatility is improved, but organization difficulty increases
Solution Approach 1:
Each slot in the upper tray is designed with specific dimensions and characteristics suitable for different pipe nipple types. The varying slot sizes and the presence of both upper and lower trays allow for localized optimization of storage spaces, enabling systematic organization of diverse pipe nipple inventories by type, size, or application while maintaining a simple overall structure.
3Volume of moving object
If a compact storage form is used, then portability is improved, but display visibility worsens
Solution Approach 1:
The storage system transitions between two states: a compact nested configuration for transport and storage, and an expanded configuration for display. When displayed, the pillar supports the upper tray at an elevated position, creating a tiered display that showcases pipe nipples at different heights and improves visibility while maintaining the same compact components.
Data Source
AI summary
An apparatus for conveniently organizing, storing, and transporting elongate objects such as pipe nipples is described. The apparatus includes a bucket, within which an upper tray is suspended above a lower tray by a pillar. Holes in the upper tray align with holes in the lower tray. When an elongate object is passed through these holes, flexible tabs on each of the holes act to firmly grip the object so that it remains safely vertical in the bucket. At the same time, projections on the perimeters of the upper and lower trays act to stop the trays from moving inside the bucket.