Cardboard Tray Lug Design Within Rectangular Outline
Solution Overview
Problem
Trays made from corrugated cardboard with protruding lugs result in material wastage, as the lugs extend beyond the rectangular outline, leading to a 5% loss of cardboard material.
Innovation Solution
The tray design incorporates lugs that are formed within the rectangular outline, utilizing a triangular interface area with inclined edges and rounded corners, allowing the lugs to fit within the tray's dimensions when folded, and includes notches for stacking, ensuring the lugs do not protrude beyond the initial blank.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If lugs are formed protruding beyond the rectangular outline, then stacking function is improved, but material wastage increases
Solution Approach 1:
The lug is repositioned from a protruding three-dimensional structure beyond the rectangular outline to a configuration that fits within the two-dimensional rectangular boundary when folded. The side flap is folded back to form the lug, utilizing the vertical dimension created by folding rather than extending horizontally beyond the original blank's boundaries.
Solution Approach 2:
The lug structure is nested within the rectangular outline of the initial blank. By folding the side flap back and positioning it within the boundaries defined by the longest walls, the lug becomes contained within the overall tray footprint, eliminating the need for extra material beyond the rectangular outline.
2Loss of substance
If lugs are formed within the rectangular outline, then material wastage is reduced, but manufacturing complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The tray is divided into distinct functional segments: the bottom wall, the four side walls formed from flaps, and the lugs formed from folded portions of the side flaps. This segmentation allows each component to be optimized independently while maintaining overall simplicity in the folding process.
Solution Approach 2:
The side flaps are designed to be foldable rather than fixed, allowing them to transition from a flat configuration in the blank to a vertical position forming the wall and lug structure. This dynamic folding process simplifies the overall design by eliminating the need for complex cutting and assembly operations.
Data Source
AI summary
The invention relates to a tray for transporting and displaying items such as yogurt containers. The tray is of the type comprising a bottom wall (1) and side walls (3 to 5) hingedly connected to the bottom wall and folded upwards at a substantially right angle, and at least one stacking lug (7) extending upwards away from the plane of the side wall, the tray being obtained by folding from a rectangular blank of corrugated cardboard. The tray is characterized in that the blank has a rectangular outline and in that the parts forming the lug (7) are included in said outline. The invention can be used to make trays for transporting yogurt containers.