Collapsible Container Turn-Slide Mechanism for ISO Door Compatibility
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional collapsible containers face issues with compatibility with standard ISO containers, as existing solutions either occupy useful space, complicate door mechanisms, or are not compatible with double doors, leading to increased costs and maintenance challenges, and fail to effectively reduce empty container volumes for efficient logistics.
Innovation Solution
A new folding container design featuring a combination of turn and slide mechanisms with conventional gudgeon pins and connection nodes allows for easy conversion between upright and folded positions, using standard doors and ensuring compatibility with all transport modes, while maintaining watertight seals and minimizing damage risk.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Volume of moving object
If a collapsible container system is implemented to reduce empty container volume, then space utilization and transport efficiency are improved, but the container complexity and manufacturing cost increase
Solution Approach 1:
The container is divided into modular components including corner nodes, side walls, end walls, and roof panels that can independently fold and collapse. Each corner node acts as an independent articulation point, allowing the container to be segmented into manageable sections that collapse separately, reducing overall complexity while achieving volume reduction.
Solution Approach 2:
The container employs dynamic corner nodes with articulation mechanisms that allow the structure to transition between rigid (when loaded) and collapsed (when empty) states. The corner nodes incorporate pivoting connections and articulation points that enable controlled folding movements, transforming the static container into a dynamic system that adapts its volume based on loading conditions.
2Adaptability or versatility
If the corner node structure is designed to enable folding, then collapsibility is achieved, but the strength and stability of the container corners are reduced
Solution Approach 1:
The corner nodes are pre-reinforced with internal bracing elements and strengthening ribs that are activated during the folding process. Before collapse, the corner structures maintain their full strength configuration; during folding, predetermined articulation points allow controlled movement while reinforcement elements engage to prevent structural failure. This preliminary design ensures corners can withstand both loaded and collapsed states.
Solution Approach 2:
The corner nodes utilize composite construction combining rigid materials (such as reinforced plastic or metal alloys) with flexible connecting elements. The composite structure integrates high-strength components at critical stress points with articulated joints that enable folding, creating a corner node that simultaneously achieves both strength and collapsibility through material combination rather than relying solely on structural design.
3Adaptability or versatility
If standard ISO doors are used on collapsible containers, then compatibility with existing infrastructure is improved, but the door mechanism complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The door mechanism is merged with the corner node articulation system, utilizing the same pivoting and folding principles that enable container collapse. The doors are integrated into the collapsible framework, sharing articulation points and structural elements with the main body, thereby reducing overall mechanism complexity while maintaining standard door dimensions and opening characteristics for compatibility with existing infrastructure.
4Volume of moving object
If the container is designed to fold completely flat, then space reduction is maximized, but the manufacturing precision requirements increase
Solution Approach 1:
Different sections of the container employ varying degrees of folding precision based on their functional requirements. Critical areas such as corner nodes and connection points utilize high-precision articulation mechanisms with tight tolerances to ensure proper alignment during collapse. Non-critical panels and surfaces use more tolerant connection methods, allowing for greater manufacturing variability without compromising the overall flat-folding capability. This localized approach to precision reduces overall manufacturing complexity.
Data Source
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AI summary
The object of this invention refers to a new foldable container in a parallelepiped shape with all sides being rigid and flat, fitted with an articulation and guiding system that permits folding of the sides over the base in an opposing manner through the turning of one end and sliding of the other towards the inside of the container, only through vertical movement of the roof. It permits the use of conventional doors half the width of the container. The improvements account for an innovative system that permits the folding / unfolding movement without substantially modifying certain characteristics of conventional ISO containers. The design caters for container versions where the doors are higher than the width of the container.