Collapsible Container Flat Collapse Rim Support
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing collapsible containers are cumbersome, difficult to store, and inefficient in space usage due to their circular cross-section when collapsed, often requiring rigid vertical skeletons that can be lost during shipping, and lack a self-sustaining open configuration without additional support.
Innovation Solution
A collapsible container design featuring a foldable material for the bottom and side walls, a top portion with a removable rim member that maintains the opening, and collapses into a flat, rectangular or square shape for efficient storage and shipping, eliminating the need for loose parts and maintaining the opening without a rigid vertical skeleton.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Stability of the object's composition
If a collapsible container uses a rigid vertical skeleton to maintain its shape, then the container stays open and maintains structural integrity, but the container becomes difficult to wash, the wires can be lost during shipping, and the design complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent removes the rigid vertical skeleton (wires) from the container design entirely. Instead of having separate structural supports, the container uses a self-supporting flexible wall structure that maintains its shape through its own geometric configuration and material properties, eliminating the need for internal wire frameworks that are difficult to wash and can be lost during shipping
Solution Approach 2:
The patent merges the structural support function with the container wall itself. The flexible wall material and geometric configuration simultaneously provide both the container's boundary and its structural support, eliminating the need for separate rigid skeleton components. This integration simplifies the design while maintaining structural integrity
2Stability of the object's composition
If a collapsible container uses a circular cross-section when collapsed, then the container maintains its shape, but it creates significant wasted space when stored and shipped
Solution Approach 1:
The patent transforms the container from a circular cross-section when collapsed to a square or rectangular cross-section. This asymmetric collapse configuration allows the container to nest efficiently and be stored in compact form factors, dramatically reducing wasted space in storage and shipping while maintaining the ability to expand to the required volume for use
3Ease of operation
If a collapsible container lacks a rigid vertical skeleton, then the container becomes easier to wash and ship without loose parts, but it cannot maintain its open configuration without additional support
Solution Approach 1:
The patent employs a dynamic, self-supporting flexible wall structure that adapts to maintain its shape during use. The geometric configuration and material properties enable the container to self-support in an open configuration without rigid internal structures, allowing it to be easily collapsed and expanded while maintaining stability when needed
Solution Approach 2:
The patent changes the physical parameters of the container wall (flexibility, thickness, material properties) to enable it to function as both the container boundary and the structural support. The wall's specific mechanical properties allow it to flex for collapse but maintain rigidity sufficient to support the open configuration without internal skeletons
Data Source
AI summary
A collapsible container made up of a bottom portion and a side wall that define an interior, wherein the bottom portion and the side wall are made of a foldable material, a top portion with an opening that allows access to the interior, and a rim member connectable to the top portion and sized and shaped to extend around the perimeter of the opening. The collapsible container is positionable in an open configuration where the rim member in connected to the top portion in a manner than maintains the opening in an open position. The collapsible container is also positionable in a collapsed configuration where at least a portion of the rim member is disconnected from the top portion. In one version, when in the collapsed configuration, the collapsible container takes on a substantially flat shape having a longest dimension less than the longest dimension of the opening when the collapsible container is in the open configuration. In one version, the rim member which may be in the form of a collapsible hoop is contained within the collapsed container when in the collapsed configuration.