Foldable Transport Container for Upright Piece Goods
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing transport containers for the automotive industry are not designed to transport elongated piece goods in an upright position, which can lead to collisions and damage during transport, and they lack efficient space-saving mechanisms when empty.
Innovation Solution
The transport container features a holding device with a retaining plate and base plate made of expanded polypropylene, incorporating vertical partitions to prevent collisions and allowing for folding to reduce volume during return transport, with adjustable support surfaces and a strap for easier handling.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Volume of moving object
If piece goods are transported in an upright position, then space utilization is improved, but the risk of collision and damage increases
Solution Approach 1:
The container interior is divided into multiple compartments by partition walls, with each compartment designed to hold a specific number of piece goods in upright position. This segmentation prevents goods from colliding with each other while maintaining efficient space utilization during transport.
Solution Approach 2:
The partition walls are pre-positioned to create defined receiving channels before transport begins. This preliminary arrangement ensures that piece goods are immediately guided and restrained in the correct upright orientation, preventing collisions before they can occur.
2Volume of moving object
If container walls are folded to horizontal orientation for return transport, then space for returning empty containers is reduced, but the complexity of folding mechanisms increases
Solution Approach 1:
The container walls are designed with folding capabilities that allow them to transition between vertical and horizontal orientations. This dynamic structure enables the container to adapt its volume for different transport phases while using simple hinge-based mechanisms rather than complex folding systems.
Solution Approach 2:
The partition walls are made of foldable material and can be folded together with the container walls during return transport. This merging of the holding device structure with the container structure simplifies the overall folding mechanism and reduces the number of separate moving parts required.
3Volume of moving object
If partition walls are made foldable to reduce volume, then space efficiency is improved, but the strength and stability of partitions may be reduced
Solution Approach 1:
The partition walls are constructed from foldable material that provides the necessary strength to prevent collisions during transport while allowing the structure to be folded compactly when not in use. This flexible yet strong material enables the partition to maintain its protective function during both transport and storage phases.
Data Source
Figure 1a
Figure 1b
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AI summary
The invention relates to a transport container (10) for unit loads, in particular for parts for the automotive industry, comprising a base (12) and container walls (16) extending vertically upwards from the base (12) and enclosing a container interior (14) in a circular manner, which can be brought into a horizontal orientation. According to the invention, a holding device (18) is arranged in the container interior (14), comprising a horizontally oriented holding plate (20) arranged at a distance from the base (12) and provided with vertically through holes (22), as well as a compartment (28) attached to the holding plate (20) with vertical partitions (30) made of foldable material, and a receiving channel (32) for a unit load, enclosed in a circular manner by one or more of the partitions (30), is arranged under each hole (22) of the holding plate (20).