Foldable Box Cam Hinge Locking Mechanism
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Solution Overview
Problem
Foldable boxes face challenges in maintaining stability and ease of use during transport, particularly when handling fruits and vegetables, as they need to withstand multiple loading and unloading processes without damage, while also being lightweight and easy to clean, with existing locking mechanisms prone to incorrect operation and wear.
Innovation Solution
A foldable box design featuring a hinge arrangement with a shaft and cam mechanism that secures the exterior walls in the up-folded state, allowing for easy dismantling and preventing automatic folding, combined with a locking mechanism that uses spring-pretensioned latching for stability and emergency release, and a structural design incorporating spherical surfaces and ribs for enhanced strength and hygiene.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Stability of the object's composition
If a robust locking mechanism is used to ensure stability, then the box stability is improved, but the device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The hinge arrangement automatically secures the exterior wall in the up-folded state through the cam and shaft mechanism that engages with the guide opening, eliminating the need for separate locking components. The system self-locks through the geometric constraint of the guide opening and cam profile interaction.
Solution Approach 2:
The locking function is extracted from a separate complex mechanism and integrated into the hinge arrangement itself. The guide opening and cam mechanism are incorporated directly into the wall-folding structure, removing the need for additional locking components and simplifying the overall device.
2Reliability
If the hinge mechanism absorbs large forces to prevent destruction, then the reliability is improved, but the ease of operation deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The hinge arrangement provides dynamic support through the cam and shaft mechanism that automatically engages at a predetermined angle. The mechanism transitions from a flexible folding state to a rigid locked state, providing force absorption only when needed while maintaining ease of operation during normal folding.
Solution Approach 2:
The guide opening and cam mechanism are designed to preemptively absorb excessive forces that could destroy the hinge, preventing damage before it occurs. The geometric constraint of the guide opening naturally limits the range of motion and prevents destructive forces from affecting the hinge.
3Ease of operation
If the box is designed for easy dismantling, then the ease of operation is improved, but the strength deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The hinge arrangement is designed as a separable component that can be easily detached from the exterior wall and floor assembly. The guide opening and cam mechanism are integrated into the wall structure itself, allowing the hinge to be removed as a unit without affecting the overall strength of the box connection.
4Productivity
If the stacking height is reduced for better transportability, then the productivity is improved, but the volume of the box deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The exterior walls are designed to fold dynamically into a compact configuration that minimizes stacking height while maintaining the full internal volume of the box when assembled. The hinge mechanism enables the walls to be positioned flat against the floor, creating a compact transport profile.
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
The design ensures the exterior walls remain stable and secure in the up-folded state, preventing accidental folding, while allowing for easy dismantling and cleaning, and provides a robust, lightweight structure that can withstand handling and loading without damage, enhancing operational efficiency and reducing wear.
Implementation Method 1
a cam (52) arranged in the base area of the fixed exterior wall area (18) and including a cam contour which is implemented such that the cam contour, when erecting the exterior wall (6b), gets into contact with the contact surface (76) such that when exceeding a boundary angle the shaft (50) is moved inwards into the lateral opening section (54b)
Implementation Method 2
a locking mechanism which uses spring-pretensioned latching for stability and emergency release
Data Source
AI summary
A foldable box includes a floor having a shaft arranged in a base area of an exterior wall area thereof. A guide opening in the fixed exterior wall area and includes a lateral opening section extending from an outside of the fixed exterior wall area inwards. A cam in the base area includes a cam contour which gets into contact with a contact surface of the exterior wall area. When exceeding a boundary angle the shaft is moved inwards. After exceeding the boundary angle a bottom side of the exterior wall is pressed against an internal edge area of the fixed exterior wall area by a force higher than a force by which the bottom side of the exterior wall in the erected vertical position is pressed against a top side of the fixed exterior wall area by the effect of the shaft or the cam.