Crate Side Wall Stiffening and Movable Hinge Design
Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional crates for transporting fruits, vegetables, and meat face issues such as damage during stacking due to lateral forces, incorrect folding leading to instability, and inadequate ventilation for cooling liquids, resulting in inefficiencies in transport capacity and product freshness.
Innovation Solution
The crate design incorporates a continuous stiffening member for enhanced stability, movable hinges allowing arbitrary folding, a latch mechanism to prevent unintended unlocking, and specialized inlets for efficient cooling liquid introduction, all while maintaining a compact folded state for efficient transport.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Productivity
If crates are arranged in a 5-down configuration with three crates forming a row in the width direction, then the stacking arrangement is compact and efficient, but the lateral force on the side walls of the crates increases significantly, causing damage during transport or stacking
Solution Approach 1:
The side wall is divided into multiple segments: a first side wall portion, a second side wall portion, and a reinforcing element. The reinforcing element is arranged between the first and second side wall portions to provide localized reinforcement at the critical mid-section where lateral forces are highest during 5-down stacking.
Solution Approach 2:
The side wall is constructed as a composite structure combining the first side wall portion, second side wall portion, and reinforcing element. This composite construction provides enhanced strength and stiffness to resist lateral forces while maintaining the overall crate structure.
2Stability of the object's composition
If a projection is provided on the edge of the bottom extending upwardly to ensure side walls do not extend beyond the projection height, then the stacking stability is improved, but the height of the folded crate increases, reducing the number of crates that can be stacked and shipped
Solution Approach 1:
The hinge is designed to be movable within the projection, allowing it to adapt its position dynamically. When the side wall is folded down, the hinge moves to a position that minimizes the height of the folded crate while maintaining stability. This dynamic adjustment eliminates the need for an excessively high projection.
Solution Approach 2:
The hinge's position and movement within the projection change the effective height parameter of the folded crate. By allowing the hinge to move rather than being fixed at the maximum projection height, the system optimizes the folded state height to maximize stacking capacity while ensuring stability.
3Device complexity
If conventional air ventilation holes are provided in the crate walls, then the structure remains simple, but cooling liquids with ice particles cannot pass through, resulting in inadequate ventilation for cooling
Solution Approach 1:
The ventilation system is segmented into different types of openings: traditional air ventilation holes for gas exchange and specialized cooling liquid inlets for liquid cooling. The cooling liquid inlets are specifically designed with dimensions that allow passage of cooling liquids and ice particles while maintaining structural integrity.
Solution Approach 2:
The crate wall openings serve multiple functions: some openings are dedicated to air ventilation, while others are designed as cooling liquid inlets that can handle both liquid flow and ice particle passage. This multi-functional design ensures effective cooling while maintaining relative structural simplicity.
Data Source
AI summary
A crate, includes a bottom, two end walls, and two side walls. Each of the side walls comprises a first lateral edge adjacent to the first end wall, a second lateral edge adjacent to the second end wall, a lower edge adjacent to the bottom, and an upper edge distant from the bottom. Each side wall comprises a continuous stiffening member extending parallel to the lateral edges and at least partly to the upper edge. The continuous stiffening member comprises a stiffening portion extending at least in one area between the lateral edges from the upper edge in the direction towards the lower edge and back to the upper edge.