Foldable Paperboard Support for Radially Flexible Bulk Containers
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Solution Overview
Problem
Reusable bulk containers are often heavy, expensive, and difficult to collect and store when not in use, and many are damaged or lost during transit back to the point of origination due to their sturdy nature.
Innovation Solution
A method involving a radially flexible container filled with particles and liquid, where the container's diameter is reduced as the fill level rises, supported by paperboard structures during filling, and formed from foldable members that engage to create a frame-like structure for supporting the bag, eliminating the need for complex mechanical structures during filling.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Strength
If reusable bulk containers are made sturdy to hold large quantities and withstand return transit, then container strength and reliability are improved, but container weight and cost increase
Solution Approach 1:
The container is divided into two functional parts: a sturdy frame structure (made from foldable members) that provides strength and support, and a flexible inner bag that holds the product. This segmentation allows each component to be optimized for its specific function, reducing overall weight while maintaining necessary strength.
Solution Approach 2:
The inner bag is made from flexible material that can be collapsed when empty, replacing the need for a completely rigid container wall. This flexible shell maintains product containment while significantly reducing the weight and material required compared to traditional sturdy bulk containers.
2Reliability
If reusable bulk containers are made sturdy to withstand return transit, then container reliability is improved, but difficulty in collection and storage increases
Solution Approach 1:
The container transitions from a rigid, fixed-state structure to a dynamic system where the flexible bag can be collapsed and compressed. This dynamic capability allows the container to adapt between full and empty states, making collection and storage much easier while the frame structure maintains reliability during transit.
Solution Approach 2:
The flexible inner bag can be collapsed and nested within the frame structure or within other containers when empty, enabling efficient storage and collection. This nesting capability solves the storage difficulty while the outer frame maintains the container's reliability for future use.
3Productivity
If radially flexible container is filled through large diameter, then filling speed and productivity are improved, but container stability and filling precision worsen
Solution Approach 1:
The paperboard structures are placed on opposing sides of the container before filling begins. This preliminary action provides immediate structural support to maintain container shape and stability during the high-speed filling process, enabling both fast filling and precise fill levels.
Solution Approach 2:
The paperboard structures act as intermediary elements between the filling process and the flexible container. They provide the necessary structural mediation to maintain container geometry during rapid filling, ensuring filling precision is maintained even at high productivity rates.
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 approach reduces costs associated with filling and handling by simplifying the filling process, minimizing damage during transit, and enabling efficient storage and reuse of the containers.
Implementation Method 1
reducing the large diameter of the radially flexible container to a smaller fill diameter in vertical relationship to the fill level as the fill level rises during filling of the flexible container
Data Source
AI summary
A bulk packaging support structure for supporting a radially flexible container during filling includes first and second foldable members each having a bottom portion and a side portion. The side portion includes a first wall section that is pivotally connected to the bottom portion along a primary fold line. The side portion further includes a second wall section that is pivotally connected to the first wall section along a secondary fold line that extends perpendicular to the primary fold line. The first and second foldable members are releasibly engaged with one another such that the bottom portion of the first foldable member is disposed between the second wall section and the bottom portion of the second foldable member.