Bucket with Concave Side Wall and Reinforcements for Carrying Comfort
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional buckets, even with reinforcement flanges for strength, can be uncomfortable to carry due to their design, and existing modifications to address comfort often compromise rigidity or add weight.
Innovation Solution
A bucket design featuring a flange with reduced outward extension at a concave portion, combined with hollow or solid reinforcements that provide a smooth transition and maintain rigidity, allowing for comfortable carrying without compromising structural integrity or adding significant weight.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Strength
If a conventional flange is provided to strengthen the bucket, then the rigidity is improved, but the carrying comfort deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The flange is designed with varying extension in the outward direction: at the concave portion (where it contacts the user's body), the extension is reduced to 45%-70% of other portions to improve comfort, while at other portions the full extension is maintained to preserve rigidity. This local differentiation resolves the contradiction between strength and comfort.
Solution Approach 2:
Reinforcements are added in the radial dimension (extending from the side wall toward the flange) at the concave portion to compensate for the reduced flange extension. This dimensional addition provides structural support without increasing the uncomfortable outward flange projection.
2Ease of operation
If the flange extension is reduced at the concave portion to improve comfort, then the carrying comfort is improved, but the rigidity deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The flange is segmented into different functional zones: the concave portion has reduced extension for comfort, while other portions maintain full extension for rigidity. The reinforcements at the concave portion are segmented as discrete structural elements that locally compensate for the reduced flange width.
Solution Approach 2:
The bucket employs a composite structural approach combining the flange (for overall rigidity) with localized reinforcements (for targeted strength at the concave portion). This composite structure allows the reduced-flange design to maintain sufficient rigidity while improving comfort.
3Strength
If reinforcements are added to maintain rigidity with reduced flange, then the rigidity is maintained, but the device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The reinforcements are merged with the flange structure, extending continuously from the side wall to meet the flange at the concave portion. This integration creates a unified structural element that provides reinforcement without requiring separate attached components, thus limiting complexity increase.
Data Source
Figure 1
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AI summary
The present invention relates to a bucket (10), comprising: a base (12); a side wall (14) extending from the base; and an outwardly and downwardly directed flange (16) at the top of the side wall opposite the base, wherein the side wall includes a portion (18) which is concave as seen from the outside of the bucket and intended to face and possibly rest against the leg (32) or hip of a user, and wherein the side wall at said portion further includes a plurality of reinforcements (20) extending from the flange and towards the base.