Foldable Box With Welded Insulation Panels
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing containers for transporting fresh foods are either non-foldable, leading to space inefficiency and high recycling costs, or use insulation materials like polyurethane foam that degrade, lose insulation effectiveness, and pose environmental and health risks due to pollution and short service life.
Innovation Solution
A foldable container with a single articulated lid that can be stored when not in use, featuring inner and outer plates connected with a thermal insulation layer, allowing for flexible filling material choices and avoiding the environmental drawbacks of polyurethane foam.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Volume of stationary object
If the container is made foldable to reduce storage space, then storage efficiency is improved, but the structural complexity increases due to hinge mechanisms and plate connections
Solution Approach 1:
The container body is divided into multiple side panels that can be folded relative to each other, and the lid is separated into an inner lid and an outer lid connected by a hinge. This segmentation allows the container to be collapsed into a compact form for storage while maintaining structural integrity through the modular design.
Solution Approach 2:
The inner lid is nested within the container body when closed, and the folded side panels are nested within each other in the collapsed state. This nesting arrangement maximizes space efficiency by allowing the container to occupy minimal storage volume when not in use.
2Temperature
If polyurethane foam is used as insulation material, then thermal insulation is improved, but environmental pollution and health risks increase due to foaming agents and degradation
Solution Approach 1:
The harmful foaming agent and degradation products of polyurethane foam are extracted from the system by replacing the insulation material entirely. The patent uses alternative insulation materials or structures that do not rely on chemical foaming, thereby eliminating the source of environmental pollution and health risks while maintaining thermal insulation performance.
Solution Approach 2:
The insulation mechanism is changed from chemical foaming to physical insulation structures such as air gaps, reflective barriers, or naturally insulating materials. This parameter change eliminates the need for harmful chemicals while achieving the same thermal insulation effect through different physical principles.
3Temperature
If polyurethane foam insulation is used, then initial insulation effectiveness is improved, but service life is reduced due to degradation and loss of insulation effect over time
Solution Approach 1:
Instead of relying on long-lasting but degrading polyurethane foam, the patent employs insulation materials or structures that maintain their insulating properties over time without degradation. The design may include replaceable insulation panels or structures that do not deteriorate, ensuring long-term service life and consistent insulation performance.
4Ease of manufacture
If the container body is formed by blister molding or blow molding, then manufacturing is simplified, but the container becomes non-foldable and recycling costs increase
Solution Approach 1:
Instead of forming the entire container body as a single molded piece, the container is segmented into multiple side panels that can be independently formed and then assembled with hinge connections. This allows each panel to be manufactured using conventional molding processes while the overall structure achieves foldability through the modular assembly.
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 foldable container achieves both efficient storage and effective thermal insulation without the environmental and health issues associated with polyurethane foam, offering a longer service life and reduced recycling costs.
Implementation Method 1
a thermal insulation layer, allowing for flexible filling material choices and avoiding the environmental drawbacks of polyurethane foam
Data Source
AI summary
This application discloses a foldable box. The foldable box has a box body and a lid, wherein the box body has a base and a pair of opposing first side panels and a pair of opposing second side panels that are foldably connected to the base. One edge of the lid is hinged to the top of the box body. Each of the first side panel, the second side panel and the lid is formed by welding an inner plate and an outer plate, and a thermal insulation layer is arranged between the inner plate and the outer plate. The base has a plate-shaped body and a protruding edge extending upwardly from the circumference of the plate-shaped main body, and a thermal insulation layer is arranged in the plate-shaped body and the protruding edge. The foldable box of the present application can not only realize the folding function, but also has good thermal insulation performance.