Foldable Container Interlocking Ridges for Stacking Alignment
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing foldable containers lack a reliable mechanism for precise vertical stacking and secure interlocking, which is crucial for stability during transportation and handling by robots, often resulting in deformation and inefficient stacking.
Innovation Solution
The container features step-shaped edges with cantilever arms and ridges that interlock with latching elements, allowing for precise vertical alignment and secure stacking, preventing shifting during transport and enabling robotic handling and folding.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Manufacturing precision
If conventional stacking methods are used for foldable containers, then the stacking process is simple, but the containers cannot be precisely vertically aligned and are prone to deformation during transport
Solution Approach 1:
The container structure is segmented into modular components: a base, four lateral walls with hinges, and standardized corner elements. Each corner features standardized latching elements and ridges that can independently interlock with corresponding features on adjacent containers, enabling precise alignment through multiple discrete connection points rather than a single complex joint.
Solution Approach 2:
The container design enables nested stacking where flattened containers are positioned vertically within the footprint of containers below. The ridges and latching elements create an interlocking nested arrangement that precisely aligns multiple containers vertically, with each container nesting into the space above the previous one while maintaining exact positional registration.
2Productivity
If containers are stacked to maximum capacity for robotic handling, then space utilization is maximized, but the stability and correct alignment of stacks becomes difficult to guarantee
Solution Approach 1:
The container corners are equipped with specialized local features including protruding latching elements and ridges that provide localized interlocking capability. These locally enhanced corner regions create reliable connection points that maintain stack stability even when containers are densely packed, as each corner independently contributes to the overall structural integrity of the stack.
Solution Approach 2:
The container structure combines rigid materials for the base and lateral walls with flexible hinge elements and elastic latching components. This composite construction provides both the structural rigidity needed for stable stacking and the flexibility required for reliable interlocking through the elastic elements that accommodate minor positioning variations while maintaining firm connections in high-density stacks.
3Strength
If lateral walls are made rigid for structural strength, then the container maintains shape better, but the folding and interlocking operations become more difficult
Solution Approach 1:
The lateral walls are designed with hinges at their base edges that enable dynamic movement between folded and unfolded positions. The hinges allow the walls to rotate and flex during folding operations, making the container easy to collapse and store. Once in the final vertical position, the walls gain structural rigidity through the interlocking latching elements that lock the dynamic structure into a stable configuration.
Solution Approach 2:
The container design incorporates pre-positioned hinges and latching elements that are预先 arranged to facilitate easy folding and interlocking operations. The hinges are positioned at the base edges of lateral walls to enable straightforward folding, while latching elements are pre-configured at corners to automatically engage when walls are positioned vertically, reducing the complexity of assembly operations.
4Volume of stationary object
If containers are flattened for transport, then storage efficiency is improved, but the lateral walls may deform during handling
Solution Approach 1:
The container design merges the base and lateral walls into a unified foldable structure that can be completely flattened into a single plane for efficient storage and transport. The hinges connect the walls to the base in a way that allows the entire structure to collapse flat without creating stress concentration points, while the reinforced corner regions with latching elements provide distributed support that prevents wall deformation during the folding and flattening process.
Data Source
AI summary
A foldable container features a base and four lateral walls, with the lateral walls featuring trailing edges with latching elements and one or more ridges that extend from the trailing edge on the internal surface and/or close to the external surface and on lateral edges of the side wall. During stacking, the ridges mesh either between the latching elements and/or between two additional ridges so that stacked containers cannot shift in longitudinal direction. The trailing edges are designed in a step like shape and feature a protruding edge, by means of which a shifting in diagonal direction is also prevented. According to the invention, the containers are deformed less during transport and are easier to fold together. The invention facilitates stacking and folding by robots.