Corrugated Shipping Container With Built-In Air Cushion Suspension
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Solution Overview
Problem
Traditional corrugated cardboard shipping containers for personal electronic devices require additional protective materials, increasing costs, assembly complexity, and environmental waste, while failing to provide adequate shock absorption along all sides.
Innovation Solution
An integrated shipping container formed from a single piece of corrugated cardboard with built-in cushioning features, utilizing suspension elements and air gaps for shock absorption and product retention.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If additional protective materials (molded plastic inserts, bubble wrap, foam pads) are used to protect electronic devices, then protection against impact damage is improved, but material costs, assembly time, and environmental waste increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent combines the container structure and protective cushioning elements into a single integrated corrugated cardboard construction. The container walls themselves are configured to provide shock absorption, eliminating the need for separate protective materials like foam pads and bubble wrap. This merging reduces assembly complexity while maintaining protection against impact damage.
Solution Approach 2:
The corrugated cardboard container serves multiple functions simultaneously: it provides structural containment for the electronic device, offers shock absorption through its corrugated structure, and eliminates the need for separate protective materials. This multi-functionality reduces both assembly complexity and material costs while maintaining reliable protection.
2Reliability
If multiple separate pieces of material are used for cushioning and security, then protection is improved, but manufacturing complexity and potential for packaging errors increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent integrates cushioning elements and security features into a single corrugated cardboard construction that is manufactured as one piece. This eliminates the need to manually assemble multiple separate materials, reducing manufacturing complexity and minimizing potential for packaging errors while maintaining comprehensive protection.
3Ease of manufacture
If conventional container designs are used, then manufacturing simplicity is maintained, but shock absorption along all sides of the product is inadequate
Solution Approach 1:
The patent configures the corrugated cardboard container with varying wall thicknesses and structural characteristics at different locations. The container provides enhanced shock absorption along all sides by strategically designing the corrugated structure to deliver appropriate protection levels at each location, while still being manufactured as a single integrated piece, thus maintaining manufacturing simplicity.
Data Source
AI summary
There is provided an integrated shipping container comprising an outer container including a base, two sidewalls, two end walls, and a top, and a product compartment inside of the outer container, the product compartment having a base, two sidewalls, two end walls, and a top, the product compartment including two upper suspension elements and two lower suspension elements extending inward into a product compartment cavity, the suspension elements providing a suspension with variable air cushions in a height of the integrated shipping container for a product contained in the integrated shipping container, wherein the outer container base, the sidewalls, and top extend past the end walls of the product compartment, creating cushion gap between the product compartment and the ends of the outer container, and the integrated shipping container with an air cushion in front of, below, and behind the product compartment to safely store and transport electronics.