Egg Container Stack-Spacing System for Upright Nesting
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing egg containers, particularly those made of thermoformed plastics, face challenges in ensuring proper stacking and separation of open containers while maintaining the eggs upright and preventing breakage during handling and transportation.
Innovation Solution
The design incorporates a sheet of polymer formed into a base portion with item-receiving cavities, a hinged cover portion, abutment spacers, alignment channels, and tear-shaped post spacers to facilitate upright stacking and efficient separation of open containers, ensuring uniform spacing and structural stability.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Volume of moving object
If containers are nested one into the other in an open position to reduce stacking volume, then the volume efficiency is improved, but the separation of nested containers becomes difficult and automated equipment cannot easily separate them
Solution Approach 1:
The patent incorporates stack-spacing systems and alignment channels into the container structure before nesting occurs. The alignment channels are pre-formed in the peripheral walls, and the stack-spacing elements are integrated into the cover portion structure, enabling automated equipment to easily separate nested containers while maintaining compact stacking volume.
2Ease of operation
If containers are stacked in an open position to facilitate visibility and access, then the ease of inspection is improved, but the structural stability during stacking and transportation deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The patent enables open containers to be nested one into the other while maintaining structural stability. The alignment channels in the peripheral walls guide proper nesting orientation, and the stack-spacing systems maintain equidistant spacing between nested containers, allowing them to stand upright as a stable stack while remaining open for inspection.
3Ease of manufacture
If thermoformed plastic material is used to reduce cost and improve transparency, then the manufacturing cost is reduced and visibility is improved, but the structural strength for preventing egg breakage during improper handling deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The patent incorporates spacers and stack-spacing systems that create cushioning spaces between nested containers. These pre-built spacing structures prevent direct contact between nested containers, providing protective cushioning that prevents egg breakage during handling and transportation while maintaining the cost-effective thermoformed plastic construction.
Data Source
AI summary
A container for receiving frangible items comprising a sheet of polymer formed into: a base portion and at least one cover portion with a hinge between the base portion and the cover portion. Abutment spacer are formed at an edge between the peripheral walls and the top wall and each comprise an abutment surface projecting into the concavity from one of the peripheral walls, and support walls relating the abutment surface to the top wall, with at least one of the support walls being in an acute angle relation with the top wall of the cover portion. Alignment channels are in at least one of the peripheral walls defining an alignment protrusion through the sheet of polymer, the alignment channel/protrusion being oriented vertically for guiding the nesting of an upper one of the cover portion descending into a lower one of the cover portion.