Foldable Creeper Basin Structure for Low-Clearance Fluid Containment

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Solution Overview

Problem

Existing mechanic's creepers face challenges such as high complexity and cost due to rollers or casters, inability to contain liquid drippings, and unsuitability for low ground clearance and outdoor winter conditions, leading to environmental damage and storage difficulties.

Innovation Solution

A foldable creeper with a flexible, waterproof body and a raisable circumferential wall that forms a liquid-catching basin when unfolded, using locking members or elongated locking members to maintain the side walls in an upright position, and optionally incorporating rigid panel members for support.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Ease of operation

If rollers or casters are used in the creeper, then the creeper can move easily on the floor, but the creeper raises the framework and is unsuitable for low ground clearance vehicles

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveease of movementVSAvoidheight of framework

Core Design Contradiction:

Ease of operationVSLength of moving object

Solution Approach 1:

The patent removes the rollers or casters from the creeper design, extracting the mobility function entirely. The creeper is designed to be manually moved by the user without rolling elements, thereby eliminating the height increase caused by casters while maintaining the ability to relocate the creeper as needed.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #2Taking out (Extraction)

Solution Approach 2:

Instead of using rolling elements to enable movement, the patent inverts the approach by designing the creeper to be directly movable through user effort alone. The framework sits low to the ground and is repositioned by lifting and sliding rather than rolling, thus maintaining low height while achieving mobility.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #13The other way round (Inversion)

2Ease of manufacture

If open ends are provided for draining water or oil, then liquid can drain out of the creeper, but this causes environmental damage and ruins garage floors

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvedrainage functionVSAvoidliquid spillage damage

Core Design Contradiction:

Ease of manufactureVSObject-generated harmful factors

Solution Approach 1:

The patent inverts the drainage approach by completely preventing liquid from exiting the creeper. Instead of providing open ends for drainage, the creeper is designed with enclosed ends and integrated containment features that trap all liquids inside, thereby eliminating environmental damage and floor ruin while maintaining the drainage capability through internal containment.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #13The other way round (Inversion)

Solution Approach 2:

The patent converts the potentially harmful liquid spillage into a beneficial containment feature. The enclosed design and integrated oil drain pan transform what would be harmful drainage into a useful liquid collection and containment system, preventing damage while managing fluids effectively.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #22Blessing in disguise (Convert harm into benefit)

3Strength

If the creeper has a rigid flat body, then it provides structural support, but it becomes difficult to store and collapse

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvestructural supportVSAvoidstorage and collapsing

Core Design Contradiction:

StrengthVSEase of operation

Solution Approach 1:

The patent divides the rigid flat body into multiple collapsible sections or segments. This segmentation allows the creeper to maintain structural support when assembled while enabling easy collapse and compact storage when disassembled, resolving the contradiction between strength and storability.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

The patent transforms the static rigid structure into a dynamic one that can change configuration. The creeper framework incorporates movable joints and collapsible elements that allow it to transition between an expanded rigid state for use and a collapsed compact state for storage, maintaining strength during use while enabling easy storage.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #15Dynamics

4Ease of operation

If casters are used in the creeper, then the creeper can move on the floor, but the casters get jammed and ice logged in snowy conditions

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvemobility on floorVSAvoidperformance in snowy conditions

Core Design Contradiction:

Ease of operationVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

The patent removes the casters from the design, extracting the rolling mobility function. Without casters to jam or ice log, the creeper achieves mobility through manual lifting and sliding, thereby eliminating the reliability issues in snowy conditions while maintaining the ability to move the creeper as needed.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #2Taking out (Extraction)

Data Source

PatentUS12390922B2Foldable mechanic's creeper

Publication Date: 2025.08.19 WATTS ROBERT DEAN

AI summary

In one aspect there is provided a foldable creeper having a body comprised of a foldable material. The body has a first end, a second end and is foldable in a direction along a folding axis. The creeper further comprises a bottom, a raisable circumferential wall having first end portion, a second end portion, a first side wall and a second side wall, said first and second side walls running along axes that are substantially parallel to the folding axis. A first locking member and a second locking member are provided for supporting the first and second side walls. The first end portion, the second end portion and the first and second side walls are moveable relative to the bottom and cooperate to form a circumferential raised barrier around the periphery when the creeper is in an unfolded configuration.