Corrugated Stiffening Element Reduces Cargo Deflection
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Solution Overview
Problem
Transport packaging for fragile goods often experiences significant play due to gaps between inner and outer flaps, leading to potential breakage during transport, and existing solutions require additional material expenditure.
Innovation Solution
Incorporating a stiffening element made from corrugated cardboard that extends into the space between the cushioning element and the lid or base of the outer packaging, reducing play and deflection of packaged goods without requiring additional material, by being formed from the same material layer as the packaging elements.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Device complexity
If the inner closing flaps do not extend to the middle of the folding crate, then the structure is simpler and material expenditure is reduced, but the play in the central area increases leading to greater deflection of packaged goods
Solution Approach 1:
The packaging structure is divided into functional zones: the inner closing flaps handle the closing function while the stiffening element handles the central support function. This segmentation allows each component to be optimized independently, with the stiffening element specifically addressing deflection control in the central area without requiring the inner flaps to extend further.
Solution Approach 2:
The stiffening element acts as an intermediary component between the inner closing flaps and the packaged goods. It fills the functional gap left by the limited extension of inner flaps, providing necessary structural support and reducing play in the central area without requiring modification to the flaps themselves.
2Reliability
If a stiffening element is added to reduce play and deflection, then the protection of fragile goods is improved, but the material expenditure and device complexity increase
Solution Approach 1:
The stiffening element is integrated with the existing packaging components, specifically combining with the inner closing flaps and cushioning elements. This merging approach allows the stiffening function to be added without creating a completely separate component system, thereby reducing the overall device complexity while still providing the necessary structural support.
Solution Approach 2:
The stiffening element serves multiple functions simultaneously: it reduces play in the central area, provides structural support to prevent deflection, and works together with the cushioning elements to protect fragile goods. This multi-functionality allows a single component to address multiple protection needs without proportionally increasing complexity.
3Manufacturing precision
If the stiffening element extends into the space between the cushioning element and the lid or base, then the play is reduced to essentially zero, but the device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The stiffening element is designed to work dynamically with the cushioning elements and packaging structure. It adapts to the space available between the cushioning element and the lid or base, extending only as needed to reduce play to essentially zero. This dynamic adaptation allows optimal play reduction without requiring a fixed, complex structure.
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
Significantly reduces the risk of breakage for fragile goods by minimizing deflection within the packaging, achieved without increasing material consumption, as the stiffening element is derived from existing packaging material.
Implementation Method 1
the stiffening element is formed essentially from corrugated cardboard
Data Source
Figure 1
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Figure 3~4
AI summary
The package has a cushion unit (136) arranged between a cargo e.g. sink, and a cover or a base of an outer package (108). A reinforcement unit (184) is detached from a material layer of a packaging unit (134) and is folded over the material layer in such a manner that the reinforcement unit extends partially into an interspace (124) between the cushion unit and the cover and/or base of the outer package. The reinforcement unit is formed from a corrugated cardboard, where the cushion unit is formed in a tubular manner.