Collapsible Container With 270-Degree Hinge Mechanism
Solution Overview
Problem
The existing methods for shipping and displaying grocery goods, such as egg cartons, require extra labor for unloading and often result in cardboard waste that is not recycled, as they are typically placed in cardboard boxes and not optimized for efficient storage or reuse.
Innovation Solution
A collapsible container with a base and pivotable walls, secured by a hinge member allowing 270-degree rotation, enabling the walls to be completely opened for easy access and then collapsed for compact storage and transport, reducing labor and waste.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Productivity
If goods are shipped in cardboard boxes, then goods can be transported to stores, but extra labor is required for unloading and cardboard waste is generated
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements a reusable plastic container system that replaces single-use cardboard boxes. The containers are designed to be returned to distribution centers after use, where they are cleaned and reused for subsequent shipments. This closed-loop system eliminates cardboard waste and reduces unloading labor by allowing stores to simply return the containers after consumers remove products.
2Productivity
If reusable plastic containers are used, then labor is reduced and waste is minimized, but the container must be collapsible for efficient storage and transport
Solution Approach 1:
The container incorporates collapsible walls with hinge members that allow the rigid walls to fold inward and collapse onto the base. This dynamic structure enables the container to transition from an expanded usable state to a compact collapsed state for efficient storage and return shipping, while maintaining structural integrity during use.
Solution Approach 2:
The container walls are divided into multiple panels connected by hinge members, allowing each panel to be independently folded. This segmentation enables the complex collapsing motion where walls fold sequentially onto the base, achieving compact storage while using simple individual hinge components.
3Ease of operation
If the wall is completely opened for consumer access, then ease of operation is improved, but the hinge member must allow 270-degree rotation
Solution Approach 1:
The hinge member enables the container wall to rotate dynamically through a 270-degree arc, allowing the wall to be completely opened for consumer access. The hinge's curved geometry and pivot mechanism provide the necessary rotational freedom while maintaining connection between wall panels, achieving full accessibility without requiring complex external hardware.
Data Source
AI summary
A container includes a base and a wall secured to the base and movable between an upright position and a collapsed position on the base. The wall including a recess and a pair of pins projecting into the recess. A hinge member is pivotably secured to the pins in the recess in the wall. The hinge member includes a pair of opposed bases connected by a plurality of curved walls. The bases each include an aperture receiving one of the pair of pins in the recess. In one embodiment, the hinge member pivotably secures the wall to the base. In another embodiment, the hinge member pivotably secured the wall to another wall such that the wall can pivot 270 degrees to leave that side of the container completely open.