Cardboard Box Fold-Out Hanger Design for Secure Transport and Easy Deployment

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Solution Overview

Problem

Existing cardboard boxes with hangers lack an efficient and alternative design for easy folding and secure attachment to wire-hooks, often resulting in hangers that stick out during transport and are difficult to deploy for hanging.

Innovation Solution

A cardboard box design featuring a fold-out hanger with a cut-out surrounded by a frame, where the upper hanger layer is connected to the frame via a weakened line for easy swinging out, and the lower hanger layer is separated to prevent locking, allowing easy folding and secure attachment with minimal force.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Stability of the object's composition

If the hanger is made as a fold-out part that stays folded during transport, then the hanger does not stick out during transport, but the hanger is difficult to deploy and requires significant force to unfold

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvehanger stability during transportVSAvoidhanger deployment ease
Core Design Contradiction:
Stability of the object's compositionVSEase of operation

Solution Approach 1:

The hanger is divided into two separate cardboard layers (first and second layers) that are hinged to different parts of the blank. The first hanger layer is hinged to the first blank portion and the second hanger layer is hinged to the second blank portion. This segmentation allows each layer to be independently positioned and secured, enabling easy deployment while maintaining stability during transport.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

The first and second hanger layers are nested within cutouts of respective blank portions during transport, creating a compact configuration. When deployment is needed, the layers can be easily swung out from their nested positions. The cutouts are sized to receive the hanger layers, providing secure containment during transport while allowing easy access for deployment.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #7Nested doll (Nesting)

2Stability of the object's composition

If the hanger layers are tightly connected to the frame, then the hanger is secure during transport, but the hanger cannot be easily folded out for deployment

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvehanger attachment securityVSAvoidhanger folding ease
Core Design Contradiction:
Stability of the object's compositionVSEase of operation

Solution Approach 1:

The connection between the hanger layers and the frame is made dynamic rather than static. The first hanger layer is flexibly connected to the first frame section and the second hanger layer is flexibly connected to the second frame section, allowing the hanger to transition between a folded transport position and an unfolded deployment position. This dynamic connection maintains security during transport while enabling easy folding for deployment.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #15Dynamics

3Stability of the object's composition

If a two-layer hanger is used with cooperating cutouts, then the hanger structure is more stable, but the alignment requirements increase the complexity of manufacturing

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvetwo-layer hanger stabilityVSAvoidcutout alignment precision
Core Design Contradiction:
Stability of the object's compositionVSManufacturing precision

Solution Approach 1:

The hanger system is segmented into two independent layers, each with its own cutout and hinge mechanism. The first hanger layer operates within the first cutout and the second hanger layer operates within the second cutout. This segmentation reduces the alignment precision requirements compared to a single integrated two-layer hanger, as each layer can be independently positioned and secured within its respective cutout.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #1Segmentation

Data Source

PatentEP3002225B1Blank, cardboard box and method of making a cardboard box
Publication Date: 2017.07.19 BRAUN GMBH
  • EP3002225B1 patent drawingFigure 1A
  • EP3002225B1 patent drawingFigure 1B
  • EP3002225B1 patent drawingFigure 2A~2B

AI summary

The present disclosure is concerned with a cardboard box having a fold-out hanger arranged in a cut-out of the cardboard box, wherein at least a hanger portion of the cardboard box is assembled from two layers of cardboard, the hanger portion having a first hanger portion (110) formed from a first cardboard layer and a second hanger portion (120) formed from a second cardboard layer, wherein a first hanger section (112) of the first hanger portion forms a front side of the hanger, a second hanger section (122) of the second hanger portion forms a backside of the hanger and the second hanger section is smaller in lateral extension than the first hanger section. The disclosure is also concerned with a blank for making such a cardboard box and with a method of making such a cardboard box.