Foldable Batten Rack Structure for Easy Assembly and Storage
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional article-holding racks are difficult to fold and assemble, making storage and transportation inconvenient due to their complex structure and lack of ease in deployment.
Innovation Solution
A rack design featuring sets of vertical and horizontal battens connected by a long connecting screw piece and supplementary screws, forming a triangular shape, allowing for easy folding and assembly, with the connecting screw piece acting as a pivot axis and the supplementary screws securing the structure in place.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If conventional racks use complex assembly structures to ensure stability and strength, then the structural reliability is improved, but the ease of assembly and folding becomes worse
Solution Approach 1:
The rack is divided into modular components (vertical battens, horizontal battens, connecting pieces) that can be independently assembled and folded. Each batten is a separate element that connects to others through standardized holes and connecting pieces, enabling both stable construction and easy disassembly for folding.
Solution Approach 2:
The rack transitions from a static fixed structure to a dynamic foldable structure. The connecting pieces allow battens to be positioned in multiple configurations (assembled for use, folded for storage), and the supplementary connecting screw provides adjustable locking to maintain structural stability during use while allowing easy release for folding.
2Strength
If conventional racks use multiple connection points and complex joints to prevent deformation, then the structural strength is improved, but the device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The connection system is segmented into standardized components: battens with multiple holes and connecting pieces with corresponding threaded holes. This modular approach distributes structural strength across multiple simple connection points rather than relying on complex single joints, while keeping each individual component simple and easy to manufacture.
Solution Approach 2:
The connecting pieces serve multiple functions: they join vertical and horizontal battens, provide pivot points for folding, and work with supplementary connecting screws to lock the structure in place. This multi-functionality reduces the need for separate specialized components, simplifying the overall device while maintaining structural integrity.
3Reliability
If conventional racks are designed to remain rigid and stable during use, then the reliability is improved, but the ease of storage and transport becomes worse
Solution Approach 1:
The rack is designed with dynamic characteristics that allow it to transition between two states: a rigid stable configuration during use, and a folded compact configuration for storage. The connecting pieces act as pivots that enable controlled folding while maintaining structural integrity, and the supplementary connecting screw can be adjusted or removed to lock or release the structure as needed.
Solution Approach 2:
The rack structure is segmented into modular battens connected by standardized pieces, allowing the entire structure to be folded by rotating individual segments around connection points. This segmentation enables the rack to collapse into a compact form for storage while maintaining full structural capability when assembled, without requiring permanent fixed joints.
Data Source
AI summary
A rack for holding articles includes a plurality of sets of vertical battens, a plurality of sets of horizontal battens that are clamped together with the plurality of sets of vertical battens, a long connecting screw piece that extends through each set of horizontal and vertical battens, and a supplementary connecting screw that connects the front horizontal batten and the front vertical batten. The screw piece defines a pivot axis for folding the battens.