Fish Transport Crate With Channel Drainage
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing crate systems for transporting fresh fish are inefficient in draining meltwater, leading to water accumulation and wetting of goods, and pose challenges in stacking and pre-positioning due to inadequate drainage mechanisms.
Innovation Solution
A crate system with channel-shaped top edges and bottom drainage holes, allowing water to flow outwards and away from the interior, and featuring a slope to ensure safe drainage, along with a wavy design for improved stacking and mechanical stability.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Object-generated harmful factors
If drainage openings are arranged in the base area of the crate, then liquid can drain out of the crate, but water accumulates outside the crate and penetrates into the interior of crates stacked underneath, wetting the transported goods
Solution Approach 1:
The drainage system transitions from a two-dimensional base opening to a three-dimensional channel structure that extends along the side wall of the crate. This dimensional change allows water to be directed along the side wall and discharged at a lower level, preventing accumulation outside the crate and penetration into stacked crates underneath.
Solution Approach 2:
The channel structure acts as an intermediary element between the base drainage opening and the exterior environment. It receives water from the base area, transports it along the side wall, and discharges it at a lower position, thereby mediating the drainage process to prevent water from directly contacting the exterior surface and stacked crates.
2Ease of manufacture
If the crate uses a simple base design, then manufacturing is easier, but adjacent crates can shear off during stacking and pre-positioning
Solution Approach 1:
The channel structure introduces a curved or angled geometric element along the side wall of the crate. This curved feature provides mechanical interlocking between stacked crates, preventing them from shearing off during stacking and pre-positioning, while adding minimal complexity to the manufacturing process.
3Productivity
If drainage openings are placed at the bottom center of the crate, then water can drain out, but water flows along the exterior walls and into the interior of crates stacked underneath
Solution Approach 1:
The drainage path is extended from a simple bottom opening into a three-dimensional channel that runs along the side wall. This allows water to be discharged at a lower external position, away from the contact area with stacked crates, thereby maintaining high drainage speed while preventing water penetration into the interior of crates underneath.
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
Effectively prevents water from entering the interior of stacked crates, enhances drainage efficiency, and facilitates easier stacking and pre-positioning by ensuring that adjacent crates do not shear off, improving the overall transport and storage of fresh fish.
Implementation Method 1
along with a wavy design for improved stacking and mechanical stability
Data Source
Figure 1
Figure 2~3b
Figure 4~7
AI summary
The present invention relates to a crate (2) of a system of crates, in particular for transporting fresh fish, which has an opening (16) on the top side, and wherein the edge area as well as the base area of the opening on the top side are designed in such a manner that the base area on the edge of the opening on the top side is laterally and positively placed on an identical crate; thus the crates can be stacked on top of each other such that the upper crate can be inserted into the lower crate, rotated about a vertical axis by 180°, and thus the empty boxes can be stacked into one another (180° stack-nest crate),and said crate is thereby characterized in that the edge area (10) of the opening on the top side is designed, at least in terms of area, in a channel shape and has at least one first through hole (30) which is located on the outer side at the bottom of the crate wall adjacent to the edge area, and in that the base of the crate features a second through hole (30) so that liquid can drain out of the crate through the second through hole into the channel-shaped area of a similar crate stacked below, and then through the first through hole of the crate stacked below, out of the channel-shaped area alongside the outer side crate wall adjacent to the edge area of the lower side.