Foldable Container Side Wall Hinge Mechanism
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Solution Overview
Problem
Collapsible containers with articulated side walls often jam when attempting to transition from a lower to an upper end position during setup, leading to potential damage.
Innovation Solution
A hinge mechanism is designed with a guided translational movement for the hinge bolt, utilizing a nose and ramp in the receptacle to prevent jamming, allowing the side wall to move perpendicular to the container bottom and ensuring consistent positioning without a specific folding sequence.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If the hinge pin is allowed to move freely in the hinge pin receptacle, then the side wall can be folded to two end positions, but the hinge pin can jam in the lower end position leading to damage
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces a ramp structure as an intermediary element between the hinge pin and the hinge pin receptacle. The ramp guides the hinge pin along a controlled path during the folding operation, preventing the hinge pin from jamming in the lower end position while still allowing the side wall to reach both upper and lower end positions. The ramp acts as a mediator that transforms the potentially harmful free movement into a controlled guided motion.
2Shape
If the side wall is designed higher than half the width of the container base, then the side walls can overlap when folded, but a complex hinge mechanism with arcuate slots is required
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts the guiding function from the complex arcuate slot hinge mechanism and implements it through a simpler ramp structure. By removing the need for the hinge pin to follow a complex arcuate path, the design achieves the same side wall overlap capability with a much simpler hinge mechanism that uses a straight ramp instead of a curved slot.
3Reliability
If a ramp with inclination between 30° and 70° is used, then hinge pin jamming is prevented, but the specific angle must be precisely controlled
Solution Approach 1:
The patent identifies the ramp inclination angle as a critical parameter that prevents hinge pin jamming. By specifying an optimal range of 30° to 70° (with preference for 50° to 60°), the design transforms the qualitative problem of jamming prevention into a quantitative parameter control issue. This allows manufacturers to achieve reliable operation by controlling the ramp angle within the specified range, balancing reliability requirements with manufacturing capabilities.
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 solution enables easy and robust operation of the folding mechanism, preventing hinge pin jamming and ensuring the side wall is always in the same position, facilitating smooth setup and use.
Implementation Method 1
a guided translational movement is imparted to the hinge bolt, so that the side wall moves perpendicularly from the container bottom is shifted upwards. For this purpose, a nose provided on the drill and a ramp formed in the receptacle work together.
Data Source
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AI summary
The invention relates to a container for transporting and storing goods, comprising a container bottom (2) and at least two sides walls (4) that can be folded over one another, wherein the side walls (4) that can be folded over one another are each supported in an articulated manner in a hinge pin receptacle (5) by at least one hinge pin (6), wherein the hinge pin receptacle (5) has an recess (7) that extends in an elongated manner in a direction perpendicular to the container bottom (2) and wherein the folded side wall (4) can be moved from a lower end position, in which the folded side wall (4) lies on the container bottom (2), to an upper end position, which is offset upward from the lower end position in a direction perpendicular to the container bottom (2). When the side wall (4) is folded open from the lower end position, in other words when the hinge pin (6) is rotated in the hinge bolt receptacle (5), the hinge pin (6) experiences a guided translational motion so that the side wall (1) is moved upward in a direction perpendicular to the container bottom (2).