Foldable Crate Skid Shoe Stacking Mechanism
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Solution Overview
Problem
Shipping crates for riding vehicles, particularly those made of wood, deteriorate quickly due to environmental factors and are cumbersome to assemble/disassemble, while metal crates are heavy and difficult to handle.
Innovation Solution
A foldable crate design with a base frame, rotatable end gates, and skid shoes, allowing for multiple operational positions including a transport, loading/unloading, and stacked configuration, utilizing C-shaped structural beams for support and weight reduction.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If wood shipping crates are used to transport riding vehicles, then the crates are easy to manufacture and provide adequate protection, but they deteriorate quickly due to environmental factors such as water damage and mold
Solution Approach 1:
The patent changes the material parameter from wood to metal (specifically tubular steel), fundamentally altering the durability and environmental resistance characteristics of the shipping crate. This material substitution resolves the deterioration issue while maintaining structural integrity for vehicle transport.
Solution Approach 2:
The shipping crate employs a composite construction combining metal tubular framing with wooden decking surfaces. This composite approach provides the durability and rust resistance of metal while incorporating the protective, non-corrosive properties of treated wood for vehicle contact surfaces.
2Reliability
If metal shipping crates are used to transport riding vehicles, then the crates are durable and resistant to environmental degradation, but they are bulky, heavy, and require extensive time and effort to disassemble
Solution Approach 1:
The metal shipping crate is divided into separable components including end gates, side panels, and a base frame. These segmented sections are connected through standardized openings and attachment mechanisms, allowing the crate to be quickly disassembled into manageable pieces for easy vehicle loading and unloading operations.
Solution Approach 2:
The crate incorporates movable end gates that can be opened and closed, transforming the static enclosed structure into a dynamic system. This dynamic feature enables easy access to the vehicle interior without requiring complete disassembly of the entire crate structure.
3Strength
If metal shipping crates are made of tubular steel, then the crates provide structural strength, but the overall weight increases and it becomes difficult to provide access points for fork lift
Solution Approach 1:
The patent utilizes thin-walled tubular steel members that provide adequate structural strength through their geometric configuration rather than material thickness. The tubular shape offers high strength-to-weight ratio, maintaining crate integrity while minimizing overall weight compared to solid metal construction.
Solution Approach 2:
The crate structure is segmented into multiple lightweight tubular members arranged in a framework configuration. This segmentation allows strategic placement of weight and provides integrated fork lift access points within the tubular structure without requiring additional heavy reinforcement.
4Ease of manufacture
If wood shipping crates are used, then the crates can be made from available hardwood, but production depends on hardwood availability and wood creates potential rusting issues with metal on the vehicle
Solution Approach 1:
The crate uses a composite design where metal structural components are separated from vehicle contact surfaces by wooden decking or protective liners. This composite approach prevents direct contact between metal crate surfaces and vehicle metal parts, eliminating the rusting problem while maintaining manufacturing efficiency.
Solution Approach 2:
A wooden intermediary layer or protective coating is introduced between the metal crate structure and the vehicle metal surfaces. This intermediary prevents galvanic corrosion and rusting while allowing the metal crate to maintain its structural advantages.
Data Source
AI summary
A foldable crate includes a base having a front end and a rear end and a pair of end gates, wherein an end gate is rotatably attached to each end of the base. Each end gate includes a cap attached adjacent to one end of each post of the end gate and a knob is attached adjacent to the opposing end of each post. A skid shoe is attached to the bottom of each corner of the base, wherein each skid shoe includes a socket for receiving the knob or cap of the corresponding end gate of an adjacent foldable crate when a plurality of foldable crates are stacked.