Reusable Firewood Container with Drawstring Closure and Handles

Solution Overview

Problem

Existing firewood packaging solutions, such as mesh bags and plastic sheeting, are inconvenient for handling and stacking due to lack of ergonomic handles and defined shape, leading to inefficient shipping and moisture retention issues.

Innovation Solution

A reusable, open mesh container with a rectangular shape, featuring a bottom panel, upright end and side panels, and a drawstring closure mechanism, along with handles for secure and ergonomic carrying, allowing for easy loading, stacking, and moisture management.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Object-affected harmful factors

If firewood is packaged in mesh bags or plastic sheeting, then the packaging allows the firewood to breathe and prevents moisture retention, but the packaging lacks ergonomic handles making it difficult to hold and carry

Engineering Contradiction:

Core Design Contradiction:

Object-affected harmful factorsVSEase of operation

Solution Approach 1:

The container is divided into separate functional components: the mesh container body for breathable containment, and detachable handles attached via stitching. This segmentation allows the handling function to be added without compromising the moisture management properties of the mesh material.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

The handles serve as an intermediary element between the user's hands and the firewood container. They are attached to the container walls through stitching, providing a comfortable gripping interface without directly contacting the firewood or compromising the mesh structure's breathability.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

2Ease of operation

If handles are attached directly to the wood retained in plastic wrap packages, then the package can be carried, but the handle attachment adds inconvenience to separating the wood from packaging

Engineering Contradiction:

Core Design Contradiction:

Ease of operationVSEase of manufacture

Solution Approach 1:

The handle attachment is segmented from the container body through stitching rather than direct attachment to the wood. This allows the handles to be easily detached by cutting the stitching, separating the handling function from the containment function without damaging the container or requiring complex removal processes.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

The mesh container walls act as a flexible intermediate layer that can be easily cut or detached. The stitching through the mesh material provides a simple attachment method that can be readily separated, allowing easy removal of handles or the entire container from the firewood bundle.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #30Flexible shells and thin films

3Device complexity

If small bundles of firewood are packaged in mesh bags without defined form, then the packaging is simple, but stacking and palletizing becomes problematic due to non-standard shapes

Engineering Contradiction:

Core Design Contradiction:

Device complexityVSStability of the object's composition

Solution Approach 1:

The container is designed with a rectangular prism shape featuring curved corners and a domed top formed by the gathered mesh material. This standardized geometric form provides stability for stacking and palletizing while maintaining the simplicity of the mesh bag construction. The curved elements distribute stress evenly and create uniform interfaces for stacking.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #14Spheroidality (Curvature)

Solution Approach 2:

The container's shape parameters are standardized with specific dimensions for the rectangular base and uniform wall heights. The drawstring closure mechanism standardizes the top diameter, creating consistent packaging units that stack efficiently. These parameter standardizations enable stable stacking and palletizing without complicating the basic mesh bag design.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #35Parameter changes

4Loss of substance

If non-uniform firewood packages are shipped, then packaging material is used efficiently, but shipping efficiency decreases due to air pockets and dimensional instability

Engineering Contradiction:

Core Design Contradiction:

Loss of substanceVSProductivity

Solution Approach 1:

The standardized rectangular prism shape with curved corners and domed top creates uniform packaging units that nest efficiently during shipping. This geometric standardization eliminates air pockets between packages on pallets, maximizing cargo density and shipping efficiency while maintaining material-efficient construction.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #14Spheroidality (Curvature)

Solution Approach 2:

By standardizing the container dimensions, wall heights, and closure mechanisms, all packages achieve uniform external parameters. This allows tight packing arrangements during shipping without wasted space, improving productivity and reducing the need for additional packaging constraints or air gaps between units.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #35Parameter changes

Data Source

PatentUS11548688B2Firewood transport and storage assembly

Publication Date: 2023.01.10

AI summary

A reusable container for storage, transport, and sale of firewood. The container has a rectangular floor panel supporting a plurality of vertically disposed wall panels. The wall panels are connected at a first end to the base so as to provide a container having an open top for loading firewood into the container. One or more handles are secured to a second end of one or more wall panels and a closure mechanism is provided for closing a portion of the second end of one or more of the wall panels around the firewood in the container. The container is a reusable container.