Collapsible Plastic Shipping Container With Hinged Panels
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing shipping containers, such as cardboard boxes and liftvans, are susceptible to wear, damage, and high costs, and require storage and disassembly after use, while being inefficient for both domestic and international moves.
Innovation Solution
A collapsible shipping container made of plastic materials with hinged panels and internal latching mechanisms, allowing for easy assembly, disassembly, and stacking, with water-resistant features and tracking capabilities.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of manufacture
If cardboard moving boxes are used for domestic moves, then they are easy to assemble and inexpensive, but they are susceptible to wear and damage
Solution Approach 1:
The container is divided into multiple panels (front, back, left side, right side, and bottom panels) that can be separately assembled and connected through hinges and latching mechanisms. This segmentation allows for easy assembly while maintaining structural integrity and durability through the robust plastic construction of each panel segment.
2Reliability
If liftvans are used for international moves, then they provide durable protection, but they are expensive to produce and require storage and disassembly after use
Solution Approach 1:
The container incorporates hinged connections between panels that allow the structure to dynamically transform between assembled and disassembled states. The hinges enable panels to fold flat for compact storage while maintaining rigid protective structure during use, eliminating the need for complex assembly tools or procedures.
3Volume of moving object
If traditional shipping containers are used, then they provide adequate storage space, but they cannot be collapsed for efficient storage when empty
Solution Approach 1:
The container panels are designed to nest within each other when collapsed, with the front, back, side, and bottom panels folding flat and stacking in a compact configuration. This nesting arrangement reduces the storage volume from the full container capacity to a fraction of that size when empty, enabling efficient repository space utilization.
4Duration of action of stationary object
If reusable containers are designed to be durable, then they can be used multiple times, but they become difficult to disassemble and store
Solution Approach 1:
The container is pre-equipped with hinges and latching mechanisms during manufacturing that enable easy disassembly and reassembly operations. These preliminary structural features eliminate the need for tools or complex procedures when disassembling for storage, allowing rapid transition between used and stored states while maintaining durability through robust plastic construction.
Data Source
AI summary
A collapsible container that includes a base, a first side panel hingedly attached to the base, a second side panel hingedly attached to the base, a first end panel hingedly attached to the base, with the first end panel including a door, and a second end panel hingedly attached to the base. The collapsible container can further include a top cover. The collapsible container is configured to be positioned in a collapsed position and an assembled position. In an assembled position, the collapsible container is configured to hold items during a domestic or international move.