Collapsible Container Panels with Interlocking Tubular Members
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Collapsible, reusable containers lack the necessary rigidity and strength for frequent reuse, and existing solutions do not efficiently address the issue of empty containers taking up large volumes of space during shipping, leading to high costs.
Innovation Solution
A collapsible container design featuring elongate tubular members with cut-away sections forming interlocking mortises and tenons, secured with a pliable material cover, and made from reinforced materials like honeycomb structured cardboard, allowing for secure assembly and disassembly without special tools, and including support structures for easy forklift handling.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Volume of moving object
If collapsible containers are used to reduce shipping space, then shipping costs are reduced, but the containers lack rigidity and strength for frequent reuse
Solution Approach 1:
The panel body uses composite construction with outer laminations (corrugated cardboard or similar material) providing structural strength and rigidity, while the inner honeycomb structure provides reinforcement with minimal material usage. This composite approach allows the collapsible container to maintain strength for frequent reuse while remaining lightweight and collapsible for space-efficient shipping.
Solution Approach 2:
The container panels are designed to be dynamically configurable - they can be assembled into a rigid container structure for use, then collapsed into a compact form for shipping. The tubular members with cut-away sections enable this dynamic transformation, allowing the same structure to provide both strength during use and compactness during transport.
2Strength
If traditional rigid containers are used, then strength and rigidity are maintained, but empty containers take up large volumes of space during shipping
Solution Approach 1:
The container is divided into separate panels that can be independently collapsed and stored. Each panel maintains its structural integrity through the reinforced body and tubular members, but can be folded flat for shipping. This segmentation allows the container to occupy minimal space when empty while providing full rigidity when assembled.
Solution Approach 2:
The collapsible panels are designed to nest within each other or stack in a compact configuration when collapsed. The tubular members with cut-away sections allow panels to interlock and nest efficiently, minimizing the volume required for shipping empty containers while maintaining full structural capability when assembled.
3Strength
If tubular members are secured to panel edges, then interlocking strength is improved, but assembly complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The tubular member is integrated directly with the panel body through securing covers that wrap around the tubular members and attach to the panel. This merging of the tubular reinforcement with the panel structure creates a unified component that provides interlocking strength without requiring separate assembly steps for attaching reinforcement elements.
Solution Approach 2:
The cut-away sections in the tubular members are pre-formed during manufacturing, allowing the panels to self-assemble through simple interlocking of the tenon and mortise formations. The securing covers are designed to be wrapped around and attached without special tools, enabling workers to assemble the container structure using basic fastening operations rather than complex joining procedures.
Data Source
AI summary
This invention relates to a collapsible container and more particularly, but not exclusively, to a collapsible container for use in packaging and transportation. The collapsible container includes a number of panels each having a panel body, with elongate tubular members secured to edges of the bodies. Each of the tubular members has at least one recessed section that forms interlocking engagement means.