Container apparatus and method of using same
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing container systems, such as insulated coolers and toolboxes, often require expensive electrical wiring for internal lighting, making them costly and difficult to repair or maintain, especially when battery replacement is needed.
Innovation Solution
A container apparatus with a removable lighting assembly that can be easily secured and detached from the container, eliminating the need for electrical wiring and allowing for easy battery replacement or assembly maintenance.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If lights are electrically wired to the container itself, then the lighting system provides stable illumination, but the system becomes expensive and difficult to repair
Solution Approach 1:
The lighting assembly is segmented into a separate removable unit from the container body. The container includes a recess that receives and secures the lighting assembly, allowing it to be easily detached and replaced without affecting the container structure. This segmentation enables independent maintenance of the lighting component while preserving the integrity of the main container system.
Solution Approach 2:
The lighting assembly is extracted from the container structure as a separate functional module. Rather than being permanently integrated through electrical wiring, the lighting assembly can be removed from the recess and replaced independently. This extraction principle allows users to replace batteries or repair the lighting component without disassembling or damaging the container itself.
2Adaptability or versatility
If lights are electrically wired to the container, then the lighting system is integrated, but the system becomes costly and complex
Solution Approach 1:
The lighting system is divided into separate functional components: the container body with recess and the removable lighting assembly. This segmentation eliminates the need for complex electrical wiring integration while maintaining the adaptability of the lighting function. The recess provides mechanical integration without electrical complexity.
Solution Approach 2:
The lighting assembly is extracted as an independent module that can be easily installed and removed from the container recess. This extraction eliminates the need for permanent electrical connections, reducing device complexity while preserving the versatility of having integrated lighting functionality available when needed.
3Ease of repair
If the lighting assembly is removable, then maintenance is easier, but the lighting may move during use
Solution Approach 1:
The container recess is pre-formed with specific geometric features that correspond to the lighting assembly shape. This preliminary structural preparation ensures that when the lighting assembly is inserted, it automatically assumes the correct position and orientation, preventing movement during use while maintaining easy removability for maintenance.
Solution Approach 2:
The recess acts as an intermediary structure between the container body and the lighting assembly. It provides mechanical engagement features that secure the lighting assembly in place during use, preventing movement, while still allowing easy insertion and removal for maintenance purposes. The recess mediates between the need for stability and the need for ease of maintenance.
Data Source
AI summary
A container apparatus can include a container and an insert assembly. The insert assembly can include four elongate members. The four elongate members can include light emitting devices for illuminating the interior of the container and/or temperature altering elements for cooling and/or heating the interior of the container. The container can have a rectangular base and a rectangular sidewall extending upwardly from the base. The sidewall can define four corners of the container, and four elongate recesses can be formed in the sidewall proximate the four corners of the sidewall to receive the elongate light members. The recesses can be sized and shaped to conform to the elongate insert members so that the insert members can be releasably retained within the elongate recesses.