Foldable Display Stand With Dihedral Side Walls for Heavy Items

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Solution Overview

Problem

Existing display systems that fold and unfold automatically face challenges in supporting objects of significant weight, requiring assembly of multiple boxes with retractable walls, which is costly and labor-intensive, especially when presenting multiple objects.

Innovation Solution

A polyhedral box with thick, hinged side walls that form dihedrons, allowing the box to support objects without separate retractable walls, and featuring folding planes that intersect at the edges, enabling self-support and force descent, with holding means that stiffen after unfolding to form part of the shoring and force descent mechanism.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Strength

If multiple boxes with retractable walls are assembled to support objects of significant weight, then the support capacity is improved, but the device complexity and manufacturing cost increase

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvesupport capacityVSAvoidassembly complexity
Core Design Contradiction:
StrengthVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The patent combines the support wall and side walls into a single integrated polyhedral box structure made from one piece of rigid cardboard. The thick side walls with dihedral folds replace the need for separate retractable walls, merging multiple functional elements into a unified structure that provides both support capacity and structural integrity without requiring assembly of multiple components.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #5Merging (Combining)

Solution Approach 2:

The side walls are designed with dihedral folds that create segmented, multi-faceted surfaces. These folds allow the walls to maintain structural strength while enabling the folding and unfolding actions. The segmentation of the wall surfaces into multiple planes provides the necessary rigidity for supporting weight while preserving the collapsible nature of the overall structure.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #1Segmentation

2Strength

If multiple boxes with retractable walls are assembled to support objects of significant weight, then the support capacity is improved, but the manufacturing cost increases

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvesupport capacityVSAvoidmanufacturing cost
Core Design Contradiction:
StrengthVSEase of manufacture

Solution Approach 1:

The patent combines the support wall and side walls into a single integrated polyhedral box structure made from one piece of rigid cardboard. The thick side walls with dihedral folds replace the need for separate retractable walls, merging multiple functional elements into a unified structure that provides both support capacity and structural integrity without requiring assembly of multiple components.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #5Merging (Combining)

3Ease of operation

If the box is designed to fold flat for transport, then the ease of storage is improved, but the structural strength during folding is reduced

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveease of storageVSAvoidstructural strength during folding
Core Design Contradiction:
Ease of operationVSStrength

Solution Approach 1:

The patent employs dynamic folding mechanisms where the box can transition between a compact flat state for storage and a rigid three-dimensional state for supporting objects. The hinges and fold lines are designed to allow easy folding during transport while maintaining structural strength when deployed. The thick side walls with dihedral folds provide the necessary rigidity in the deployed state while still permitting folding actions.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #15Dynamics

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

This design eliminates the need for assembling multiple boxes, allows for the presentation of multiple objects without additional support structures, and reinforces weakened zones in the unfolded state, providing effective support and ease of assembly and disassembly.

Implementation Method 1

holding means for holding the box in its unfolded and open state and propping means for forming, with the support wall, force descent means

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectElasticity: Elasticity

Implementation Method 2

each side wall, in the unfolded functional state of the support, is a thick wall which comprises at least one two-sided dihedron extending from an edge of articulation

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectGeometry: Geometry

Implementation Method 3

the box being hinged to move between a state folded flat and an unfolded and open functional state

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectHinge: Hinge

Data Source

PatentEP2528482B1Item display stand
Publication Date: 2015.09.23 FRANCOIS LHOTEL
  • EP2528482B1 patent drawingFigure 1~3
  • EP2528482B1 patent drawingFigure 4~5
  • EP2528482B1 patent drawingFigure 6~8

AI summary

The stand, which is foldable, with a box comprises a supporting wall (6), two side walls (16, 17), the box being articulated between a folded state and an unfolded and open functional state ready to accept the item. The supporting wall (6) extends between the side walls (16, 17). Flaps (27) keep the box in its unfolded and open state and staying means (16, 17, 27, 6) form, with the supporting wall (6), means of transferring force. Each side wall (16, 17) is a thick wall with at least one two-sided (14, 28) dihedral angle extending from a hinging edge (24) and which can be folded on itself along the edge (24) and along another fold line (19) secant with this edge (24). In the unfolded state, the edges are rigid and form part of said staying means.