Flat Back Bucket Lid with Overhanging Lips and Bail Cutouts

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Solution Overview

Problem

Conventional flat back buckets lack effective lids, leading to contamination and infestation risks and preventing stacking, as existing solutions like fabric covers or modified bucket designs do not adequately address the need for a secure and universal lid solution.

Innovation Solution

A substantially rigid lid with a center portion matching the bucket's flat back, featuring overhanging lips, cutouts for bail mounts, and locking tabs to secure onto the rim channel, allowing for stacking and enhanced protection, and optionally a hinged design for easier access.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Object-affected harmful factors

If a soft fabric cover is used to cover the bucket, then the bucket is protected to some extent, but it cannot support the weight of another bucket and provides only limited protection against rodents, insects and debris

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveprotection against contamination and infestationVSAvoidsupport capacity for stacking

Core Design Contradiction:

Object-affected harmful factorsVSStrength

Solution Approach 1:

The invention changes the material parameter from soft fabric to substantially rigid plastic material, transforming the lid's mechanical properties to simultaneously provide both protection against contaminants and sufficient strength to support stacking buckets

Inventive Principle:

Principle #35Parameter changes

Solution Approach 2:

The lid is made from a single piece of rigid plastic material that combines structural integrity with protective functionality, creating a composite solution that addresses both protection and strength requirements

Inventive Principle:

Principle #40Composite materials

2Adaptability or versatility

If the bail is mounted on the side of the bucket instead of the rim channel, then a conventional plastic cover can be secured to the rim channel, but the design does not solve the problem for conventional flat back buckets with bail mounts on the rim channel

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvecompatibility with conventional bucketsVSAvoidlid structure complexity

Core Design Contradiction:

Adaptability or versatilityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The lid is divided into a center lid portion and peripheral margin portions, with the peripheral margins specifically designed to interface with the rim channel and bail mounts, allowing the lid to accommodate conventional bucket designs while maintaining structural integrity

Inventive Principle:

Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

The lid design incorporates peripheral margins that extend beyond the center lid portion, creating a three-dimensional structure that engages with the rim channel in a different spatial dimension, enabling compatibility with conventional buckets without modifying the bail mount position

Inventive Principle:

Principle #17Another dimension (Dimensionality change)

3Strength

If a rigid lid is used to provide protection and support stacking, then strength and protection are improved, but the lid becomes difficult to remove and access the bucket contents

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvesupport capacity for stackingVSAvoidease of removal and access

Core Design Contradiction:

StrengthVSEase of operation

Solution Approach 1:

The lid transitions from a static, permanently fixed structure to a dynamic, removable structure through the incorporation of disengageable locking tabs, allowing the lid to maintain strength when closed while enabling easy removal when needed

Inventive Principle:

Principle #15Dynamics

Solution Approach 2:

The lid is segmented into a center portion and peripheral margin portions with integrated locking tabs, allowing the structure to be both strong for stacking and easily removable by disengaging the locking mechanism

Inventive Principle:

Principle #1Segmentation

4Reliability

If locking tabs are added to secure the lid to the rim channel, then the lid becomes firmly attached and stacking is enabled, but the lid structure becomes more complex

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvesecure attachment to bucketVSAvoidlid structure complexity

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The locking tabs are merged with the peripheral margin portions of the lid, combining the attachment function with the structural rim interface in a single integrated element, thereby securing the lid without adding separate complex components

Inventive Principle:

Principle #5Merging (Combining)

Data Source

PatentUS10399749B1Lid for a flat back bucket

Publication Date: 2019.09.03 RAM PRODUCTS LLC

AI summary

A lid for a flat back bucket comprises a rear lid portion that has a flat back configured to match the flat back of the bucket, a front lid portion, and a plurality of tabs configured to clip the lid to a rim channel of the bucket. The front and rear lid portions are preferably hingedly connected to each other. Plural cut outs or openings are provided in the rear lid portion that are configured to receive, respectively, bail mounts on the bucket. Lips extend from the rear and front lid portions and are positioned so that the lips will be exterior of and overhang the rim channel of the bucket when the lid is on the bucket.