Corrugated Separator Elements for Flexible Container Stack Stability

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Solution Overview

Problem

Large plastic containers, especially those with flexible walls, pose challenges in stackability and palletization due to instability and high shipping costs, often requiring excessive packaging materials and labor, and are prone to damage during handling and transportation.

Innovation Solution

A system of nested plastic containers with upwardly extending neck portions and base depressions, secured by separator elements with strategically placed openings that engage the containers' surfaces to stabilize and secure them in tiers on a pallet, reducing the need for intermediate packaging and enhancing handling and transportation safety.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Loss of substance

If large plastic containers with flexible walls are stacked without intermediate packaging, then shipping costs and material usage are reduced, but stack stability and security deteriorate

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvepackaging materialsVSAvoidstack stability

Core Design Contradiction:

Loss of substanceVSStability of the object's composition

Solution Approach 1:

A corrugated cardboard separator element is introduced as an intermediary component between container tiers. The separator features outwardly extending flaps that engage with the outer surfaces of containers in a tier, providing mechanical interlocking that stabilizes the stack without requiring excessive packaging materials or intermediate pallets.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

Solution Approach 2:

Containers are designed with nested stacking capability where upper containers are positioned within the footprint of lower containers. The separator element's flaps extend between nested containers to provide lateral support, enabling stable stacking of flexible-walled containers without rigid external frameworks.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #7Nested doll (Nesting)

2Reliability

If containers are secured with intermediate packaging and stabilizing materials, then stack security is improved, but handling time and labor requirements increase

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvestack securityVSAvoidhandling time

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSLoss of time

Solution Approach 1:

The separator element is designed to be self-positioning and self-securing. The outwardly extending flaps automatically engage with container surfaces when the separator is placed between tiers, eliminating the need for manual adjustment or additional fastening operations. Workers simply place the separator and the mechanical interlocking occurs automatically.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #25Self-service

Solution Approach 2:

The separator element is divided into multiple functional zones: central support regions and outwardly extending flaps that independently engage with different containers. This segmentation allows each flap to independently secure adjacent containers, providing distributed stability that reduces handling complexity.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #1Segmentation

3Quantity of substance

If containers are stacked without separator elements, then material usage is reduced, but container position stability during transport deteriorates

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveseparator materialsVSAvoidcontainer position stability

Core Design Contradiction:

Quantity of substanceVSStability of the object's composition

Solution Approach 1:

The separator element utilizes a thin corrugated cardboard structure that provides high strength-to-weight ratio. The corrugated geometry creates rigid yet lightweight panels that can span between containers while the outwardly extending flaps provide flexible engagement with container surfaces, stabilizing positions without excessive material.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #30Flexible shells and thin films

4Reliability

If bulky packaging is used to stabilize container stacks, then damage during shipment is reduced, but warehouse space efficiency and productivity decrease

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvedamage protectionVSAvoidwarehouse efficiency

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSProductivity

Solution Approach 1:

The separator element is designed as a disposable, low-cost component made from corrugated cardboard. It provides effective damage protection and stack stabilization during a single use cycle, then can be discarded or recycled. This eliminates the need for expensive, reusable packaging systems while maintaining protection levels.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #27Cheap short-living objects (Disposable)

Solution Approach 2:

The separator element extends in the radial dimension with outwardly extending flaps that engage container surfaces, rather than relying solely on vertical stacking. This dimensional approach creates lateral stability without increasing the vertical height or external footprint of the container stack, optimizing warehouse space utilization.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #17Another dimension (Dimensionality change)

Data Source

PatentUS7467714B2Container stack and separating element therefor

Publication Date: 2008.12.23 PLASTIPAK PACKAGING INC

AI summary

The container stack includes a plurality of stacked containers and separator elements having open portions, with the outside containers in each level received in an opening. The outside openings engage the outer surface of the outside containers and press the outside containers inwardly to secure the containers in position.