Container Window Repair With Fold-Preserving Donor Hinge
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing containers used for transporting automotive products and other goods often break at the hinge fold due to fatigue, rendering them unusable and leading to significant environmental and economic waste, as conventional repairs would render the containers inoperable by making them rigid and unfoldable.
Innovation Solution
A method and system for repairing broken windows in containers by creating a new window with a hinge fold using a donor window obtained from scrap material, featuring an additional welding area beyond the hinge fold, and a specific welding contour to maintain foldability, involving cutting, sealing, and welding processes in multiple stations.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If conventional welding is used to repair broken windows in containers, then the window can be replaced and the container can be reused, but the welded area becomes rigid and the container can no longer be folded or unfolded
Solution Approach 1:
The container body is divided into two distinct zones: a rigid welded zone where the window is attached to provide structural strength, and a flexible folding zone that maintains the ability to bend and fold. This segmentation allows each zone to fulfill its specific function without compromising the other.
Solution Approach 2:
Different mechanical properties are assigned to different regions of the container body. The local area around the window receives rigid welding for strength, while the surrounding areas maintain their original flexible properties to enable folding and unfolding operations.
2Ease of manufacture
If the container is disposed of when the window breaks, then the broken window is removed from the system, but significant environmental and economic waste is generated
Solution Approach 1:
Instead of discarding the entire container when the window breaks, the broken window is removed and replaced with a new window. The majority of the container body is recovered and reused, minimizing waste and extending the container's service life.
Solution Approach 2:
The broken window is extracted from the container system as a separate replaceable component. This allows the window to be disposed of while the main container body is preserved and reused, separating the disposable element from the valuable reusable structure.
3Adaptability or versatility
If a new window is created with a hinge fold using donor material, then the window can be folded and unfolded like the original, but additional welding area and complex welding contours are required
Solution Approach 1:
The hinge fold is created in advance during the window fabrication process using donor material, before the window is installed in the container. This preliminary formation of the fold simplifies the subsequent welding process, as the fold structure is already in place and only needs to be attached to the container body.
Solution Approach 2:
A new window is created by copying the hinge fold structure from donor material rather than attempting to repair or reshape the broken original. This copying approach ensures the new window has the correct fold geometry and flexibility from the start.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
Enables the reuse of damaged containers by recreating a functional window, maintaining foldability and strength, thus reducing waste and environmental impact while providing a cost-effective recycling solution.
Implementation Method 1
a heating element movable along the welding contour and configured to melt a plastic material
Implementation Method 2
an injection system movable along the welding contour and configured to inject a plastic material in a molten state
Implementation Method 3
a cooling system movable along the welding contour and configured to cool the plastic material
Data Source
Figure 1
Figure 2~3b
Figure 4
AI summary
The present invention relates to a method and system for repairing containers with a broken initial window (10). The method comprises: - obtaining a donor window (16) with a hinge fold (12'), including an additional area (20) projecting beyond the hinge fold (12'), with a donor window welding contour (26) being defined at the edge of the additional area (20); - conditioning the area of the initial window (10): ▪ by detaching the window if the window is not detached from the body of the container (4); ▪ by forming an additional space (24) next to the space of the initial window (10), generating a body welding contour (28) with the same shape as the donor window welding contour (26); - incorporating the donor window (16) in the space of the initial window (10) and welding it to the body (4).