Collapsible Crate Stowable Hinged Lid
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing collapsible storage crates are often heavy, costly, and difficult to manufacture, with complex mechanisms that complicate stability and assembly, and lack desirable features like structurally reinforced lids for stacking and secure access.
Innovation Solution
A collapsible crate design featuring a crate member with hinged side and end walls, a detachable lid with a releasable latch system, and a hinge configuration allowing partial opening, ensuring stability, ease of assembly, and secure stacking.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If a lid member is added to protect and secure the crate interior, then protection and security are improved, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The lid member is divided into two separate lid portions that can independently pivot relative to each other about the hinge. This segmentation allows each portion to be manipulated separately for access to contents while maintaining overall lid functionality for protection and security.
Solution Approach 2:
The lid portions are made dynamically movable through the hinge mechanism, allowing them to pivot between closed and open positions. This dynamic capability enables flexible access to crate contents while maintaining structural integrity when closed.
2Strength
If the lid member is made structurally reinforced to support stacking, then stacking capability is improved, but weight increases
Solution Approach 1:
Reinforcement features such as ribs or strengthened edges are applied locally to the lid member only where needed to support stacking loads, rather than making the entire lid uniformly thick or heavy. This provides necessary strength while minimizing overall weight increase.
3Stability of the object's composition
If the lid member lies flush with the upper rim for stability, then stacking stability is improved, but manufacturing precision requirements increase
Solution Approach 1:
The hinge mechanism is designed to automatically position the lid portions in a predetermined relationship to the crate rim when closed, eliminating the need for high-precision manual positioning during assembly. The self-positioning feature ensures consistent flush alignment for stable stacking.
4Ease of operation
If access openings are added to the lid portions for convenience, then ease of operation is improved, but structural strength decreases
Solution Approach 1:
The lid is divided into two portions that can be independently opened, creating access openings without requiring large single openings in a solid lid. This segmentation maintains structural integrity while providing convenient access to crate contents.
Solution Approach 2:
Access openings are provided in one or both lid portions at strategic locations, allowing users to access contents without opening the entire lid. The openings are sized and positioned to provide convenience while minimizing impact on overall lid strength.
Data Source
AI summary
A collapsible crate or container movable between an erect configuration and a collapsed configuration, has a crate member having an upper peripheral rim, a bottom member, two hinged and collapsible opposing side walls and two hinged end walls that collectively define an interior volume when the crate member is in the erect configuration, and a lid member with first and second lid portions and a hinge that releasably couples the first and second lid portions. The crate member and the lid member also includes latch member to releasably latch the lid member to the crate member in a use/deployed position and a stowed position.