Container Bolster Entry Windows for Forklift Access
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Solution Overview
Problem
Large construction storage containers are difficult to move due to their weight and the configuration of bolsters and casters, which limits the ability of forklifts to achieve proper balance and secure lifting, often requiring reorientation in limited spaces.
Innovation Solution
The design includes a container with a floor and underside bolsters that have entry windows for forklift prongs, allowing them to be slidably received from various edges, enabling easier lifting from multiple sides or the front and back, with bolsters formed from a single sheet of metal and attached to the floor for enhanced strength and accessibility.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If traditional bolsters are used without entry windows, then the container structure is simple, but the forklift cannot easily access the container for lifting
Solution Approach 1:
The bolster is segmented into multiple panels (first panel, second panel, third panel, fourth panel) that are connected to form entry windows. These panels create open spaces that allow forklift prongs to access the container from multiple directions (front, rear, and sides), transforming the previously solid bolster structure into a segmented configuration with accessible openings.
2Productivity
If the container can only be lifted from one or two sides, then the lifting operation is simple, but the container requires reorientation in limited spaces which is time-consuming
Solution Approach 1:
The bolster structure is designed with entry windows accessible from multiple directions (front, rear, and both sides), making the container universally liftable from any of these directions. This multi-functional access eliminates the need for reorientation operations, as the forklift can approach and lift the container from whichever direction is most convenient in the given workspace.
3Reliability
If the bolsters and casters are configured traditionally, then the container is stable, but it is difficult to achieve proper balance and secure lift
Solution Approach 1:
The entry windows formed by the bolster panels act as intermediaries that guide the forklift prongs into the correct positioning between the bolsters. The panel configurations create defined access paths that facilitate proper forklift alignment and prong insertion, ensuring secure engagement with the container structure while maintaining lifting stability.
Data Source
AI summary
A container adapted to be lifted by a forklift having a pair of prongs, including a receptacle having a floor, a front wall, a rear wall, and a pair of opposed sidewalls, wherein a front edge, a rear edge and side edges of the floor define a perimeter of the floor. A plurality of bolsters is attached to the floor such that each bolster is within the perimeter, each bolster including a lower panel and a pair of sidewalls extending upwardly to the floor and forming a first entry window configured to slidably receive one of the prongs of the forklift. Each bolster is positioned such that its first entry window is accessible from one of the opposed side edges of the floor, and the prongs of the forklift are slidably receivable between a pair of the bolsters from one of the front edge and the rear edge of the floor.