Cardboard Tray Packaging for Electrical Cable Accessories
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current packaging solutions for electrical cable accessories, primarily made of single-use plastic, are environmentally unsustainable and hinder efficient assembly due to disorganized parts, leading to increased assembly time and error risk.
Innovation Solution
A device comprising a cardboard container with removably stacked trays, where accessories are organized by usage order, reducing plastic usage and featuring numerical indications and securement methods to ensure clear presentation and easy installation.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If packaging uses single-use plastic bags for accessories, then accessories are protected during transport, but environmental sustainability deteriorates and assembly efficiency decreases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent changes the material parameter from single-use plastic to reusable cardboard trays, fundamentally altering the packaging system to be environmentally sustainable while maintaining protection functionality through the sturdy cardboard construction
Solution Approach 2:
The packaging system is segmented into multiple cardboard trays that can be removed and reused, replacing the monolithic plastic bag system. Each tray can be independently handled and reused across multiple packaging cycles, eliminating plastic waste
2Device complexity
If accessories are arranged in bulk without organization, then packaging simplicity is maintained, but assembly time increases and error risk increases
Solution Approach 1:
The trays are pre-arranged in the container in the exact sequence in which accessories need to be assembled. This preliminary organization eliminates the need for users to sort through bulk items, as everything is already in the correct order for assembly
Solution Approach 2:
The packaging is divided into separate trays, each containing specific accessories needed for particular assembly steps. This segmentation allows users to work through the packaging system systematically, taking one tray at a time in the correct sequence
3Device complexity
If accessories are placed in bulk without labeling, then packaging simplicity is maintained, but assembly accuracy decreases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent employs visual differentiation through colored or numbered labels on trays and accessories, providing clear visual cues that indicate the correct assembly sequence and prevent errors, while maintaining overall packaging simplicity
Solution Approach 2:
Numbered or colored labels serve as intermediary elements between the accessories and the assembly instructions, providing a visual coding system that guides users through the assembly process and ensures accuracy without requiring complex documentation
4Reliability
If multiple plastic bags are used for accessories, then accessories are well-protected, but ease of operation deteriorates during assembly
Solution Approach 1:
The packaging system uses separate, removable cardboard trays instead of nested plastic bags. This segmentation allows users to easily access and remove specific trays containing accessories needed for current assembly steps, improving operational ease while maintaining protection
Solution Approach 2:
The cardboard trays are designed to be easily removable and repositionable within the container, providing dynamic accessibility during assembly. Users can quickly take out needed trays and return them or set them aside, making the assembly process more flexible and easier to operate
Data Source
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AI summary
This device (10) for storing and installing accessories for electrical cables includes an outer cardboard container (12) and a plurality of accessories (14) for electrical cables. It further includes a stack of at least two cardboard trays (16) arranged removably within the container (12), the plurality of accessories (14) being stored on the trays (16), the trays (16) being stacked in an order corresponding to the order in which the accessories of the plurality of accessories (14) are to be used for the installation of the accessories (14).