Collapsible Container With Hinged Wall Sections for Compact Storage
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing collapsible pallet bins face challenges in efficient storage and transportation due to their design limitations, particularly in collapsing and stacking mechanisms, which hinder space optimization and ease of movement.
Innovation Solution
The design incorporates a base with integrally molded side walls and hingeably connected upper walls, featuring flanges for pivoting and latching mechanisms, along with recessed wheels and optional jacks for enhanced mobility and collapsibility, allowing for efficient stacking and reduced volume during transport.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Volume of moving object
If the container is designed to collapse for storage, then storage space efficiency is improved, but the structural complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The container walls are divided into multiple sections that can independently fold and collapse. The side walls include first and second wall sections that can pivot relative to each other, allowing the container to collapse into a compact configuration for storage while maintaining structural integrity during use.
Solution Approach 2:
The collapsible wall sections are designed to nest within each other when collapsed, with upper wall sections folding down over lower wall sections. This nesting arrangement maximizes space efficiency during storage while preserving the container's structural form during operational states.
2Ease of operation
If the container includes doors for access, then ease of operation is improved, but the device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The door mechanism is integrated with the existing wall structure and latch system. Doors are hinged to the wall sections and utilize the same latch mechanism that secures the collapsible walls, combining multiple functions into a unified system that provides access without adding separate complex mechanisms.
Solution Approach 2:
The latch mechanism serves dual purposes: it secures the collapsible wall sections together during transport and simultaneously locks the doors in the closed position. This multi-functional design provides door access capability without requiring separate door-specific locking mechanisms.
3Ease of operation
If the container includes wheels for mobility, then ease of movement is improved, but the device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The wheels are extracted as separate, removable components from the main container structure. They are attached to the base but can be independently managed, allowing the container to be moved when needed while simplifying the overall design by separating the mobility function from the storage structure.
Solution Approach 2:
The wheels are designed to be self-contained units with integrated axles and mounting mechanisms that require minimal assembly or maintenance. The simple wheel design allows the container to achieve mobility without complex drive mechanisms, relying on manual pushing or pulling.
4Volume of moving object
If the container walls are made collapsible, then storage efficiency is improved, but the strength is reduced
Solution Approach 1:
The wall sections are pre-reinforced with internal ribs and strengthening elements during manufacturing. These preliminary structural enhancements ensure that when the walls are in their expanded, load-bearing configuration, they possess sufficient strength to contain materials, while still allowing collapse when empty.
Solution Approach 2:
The wall structure transitions between two dynamic states: an expanded rigid state for load-bearing operations and a collapsed flexible state for storage. The hinge connections and latch mechanisms enable controlled transitions between these states, maintaining strength when needed and enabling compression when empty.
Data Source
AI summary
In one embodiment, a container includes a base and a lower wall section extending upward from the base. One or more upper wall sections are stacked on the first wall section. A pair of flanges may extend perpendicularly from outer edges of the lower wall section and the upper wall sections. An upper door may be hingeably connected to one of the flanges of the second wall section. A lower door may be hingeably connected to one of the flanges of the lower wall section.