Monolithic Foam Transport Container with Integrated Hinges
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing transport containers are expensive to manufacture due to the need for individual production and assembly of components, which compromises stability and increases costs.
Innovation Solution
A transport container is manufactured in one piece by filling and sintering foam particles, with hinges formed by weakening the material to create connecting parts with a smaller wall thickness, allowing side walls to fold relative to the base without changing the base area, and reinforced with internal or external fabric for stability.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If individual components (floor, side walls, hinges) are manufactured separately and assembled, then the transport container can be assembled with moving parts, but the manufacturing cost increases and assembly complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent merges the floor, side walls, and hinge functions into a single monolithic component made from foam particles. The connecting parts are formed by locally reducing wall thickness during the molding process, eliminating the need for separate hinge components and assembly operations while maintaining the folding capability.
Solution Approach 2:
The monolithic component is segmented into functional zones: the floor area, side wall areas, and connecting part areas with reduced wall thickness. This segmentation allows different regions to serve different functions (support, containment, folding) within a single manufactured piece.
2Ease of operation
If joint recesses and joint heads are formed in separate components, then hinges can be assembled, but the manufacturing process becomes more complex and expensive
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts the hinge function from separate mechanical components and embeds it directly into the monolithic structure through localized material removal (reducing wall thickness). The folding operation is achieved through the geometry of the connecting parts rather than separate hinge mechanisms.
3Ease of manufacture
If the side walls are made with uniform wall thickness, then the structure is simpler to manufacture, but the stability in the floor area is reduced
Solution Approach 1:
The monolithic component has non-uniform wall thickness: thick walls in the floor and side wall areas for stability and strength, and thin walls in the connecting parts for folding capability. This local variation in quality optimizes both structural integrity and operational flexibility.
4Shape
If the connecting parts are positioned away from the transport space, then the inner surfaces are flush, but the side walls cannot be folded down to maintain base area
Solution Approach 1:
The connecting parts are positioned in a third dimension (protruding slightly into the transport space) rather than being constrained to a single plane. This allows the side walls to fold down while maintaining the outer base dimensions, achieving both surface alignment and folding capability.
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
This method simplifies production, reduces costs, and maintains stability while allowing for efficient folding and stacking of the container.
Implementation Method 1
inserting foam particles made of expanded polypropylene (EPP), expanded polystyrene (EPS), polyethylene (PE), polyurethane (PU) or Polyethylene terephthalate (PET) are filled in and sintered together by the application of heat
Data Source
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AI summary
The invention relates to a transporting container (10) having a base (12), of substantially rectangular outer contour, and having four side walls (14), which extend from the base (12) and can be pivoted in relation to the base (12) between an accommodating position, in which they are arranged substantially perpendicularly to the base (12) and bound a transporting space (18) all the way around by way of their facing inner surfaces (16), and a transporting position, in which they have been swung over and positioned on or above the base (12). According to the invention, it is provided that the base (12) and the side walls (14) are connected to one another in a single piece via connecting portions (20) which have a smaller wall thickness than the side walls (14), and that the connecting portions (20) are arranged at a distance apart from the outer contour of the base (12) and directly at the transporting space (18).