Foldable Corrugated Plastic Produce Containers

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Solution Overview

Problem

Conventional wood and wire crates used for storing and transporting produce are cumbersome, prone to breakage, susceptible to mold growth, and pose handling risks, while wax-coated corrugated cardboard containers are not sustainable and too heavy, leading to increased costs and inefficiencies in the supply chain.

Innovation Solution

Development of foldable, corrugated plastic containers that can be assembled without adhesives, featuring tabs and folding lines for easy assembly, handle structures for safe handling, and vent openings to reduce spoilage, which are lighter, more durable, and recyclable, offering improved safety and sustainability.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Strength

If conventional wood and wire crates are used for storing and transporting produce, then structural strength and durability are maintained, but weight increases and handling safety deteriorates

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvestructural strengthVSAvoidcontainer weight

Core Design Contradiction:

StrengthVSWeight of moving object

Solution Approach 1:

The container is divided into multiple side portions (first side portion, second side portion, third side portion, fourth side portion) that can be separately formed and assembled. Each side portion is created from individual folded sheets with interlocking tabs, allowing modular construction that reduces overall weight while maintaining structural integrity through the assembled configuration.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

The patent uses thin sheet material (such as corrugated plastic or metal) to form the container walls instead of heavy wood or wire. The sheets are folded along predetermined lines to create three-dimensional side portions, providing strength through geometric configuration rather than material mass, thereby significantly reducing weight.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #30Flexible shells and thin films

2Duration of action of stationary object

If conventional wood and wire crates are used, then durability is maintained, but susceptibility to mold growth increases

Engineering Contradiction:

ImprovedurabilityVSAvoidmold growth susceptibility

Core Design Contradiction:

Duration of action of stationary objectVSObject-affected harmful factors

Solution Approach 1:

The material composition parameter is changed from organic materials (wood, wire, cardboard) that support mold growth to synthetic materials (corrugated plastic or metal) that are resistant to mold. This parameter change maintains durability while eliminating the harmful effect of mold susceptibility.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #35Parameter changes

3Ease of manufacture

If wax-coated corrugated cardboard containers are used, then ease of manufacture is improved, but weight increases leading to increased costs

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveease of manufactureVSAvoidcontainer weight

Core Design Contradiction:

Ease of manufactureVSWeight of moving object

Solution Approach 1:

The patent employs thin folded sheets of corrugated plastic or metal to create container sides, achieving ease of manufacture through simple folding and tab-interlocking operations while maintaining low weight. The sheets are formed into three-dimensional configurations through folding along predetermined lines, requiring no heavy coating applications or complex assembly processes.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #30Flexible shells and thin films

4Loss of time

If foldable sheets with tabs and folding lines are used, then assembly time is reduced, but device complexity increases

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveassembly timeVSAvoidstructural complexity

Core Design Contradiction:

Loss of timeVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The container is segmented into multiple side portions that can be pre-formed and then quickly assembled together using tab-interlocking mechanisms. Each side portion is created from a folded sheet with tabs extending from flaps, allowing rapid connection without adhesives or fasteners, thus reducing assembly time despite the segmented structure.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

The sheets are pre-folded along predetermined folding lines and tabs are pre-positioned on flaps before assembly. This preliminary preparation of the sheet structures enables quick final assembly by simply interlocking the pre-formed components, reducing overall assembly time while the pre-folded patterns manage the structural complexity.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #10Preliminary action

Data Source

PatentUS9321550B2Foldable containers

Publication Date: 2016.04.26 C H ROBINSON WORLDWIDE

AI summary

Embodiments of foldable containers, such as foldable, plastic, produce containers, planar sheets used to create such containers, and related methods. In some embodiments, a substantially planar sheet for folding into a three-dimensional container may be provided comprising a plurality of side portions, each side portion comprising opposing flaps positioned on opposite sides. Each of the side portions may comprise opposing flaps, some of which may comprise tabs extending therefrom to be used for coupling with an adjacent side portion during a folding process. One or more of the side portions may also, or alternatively, comprise a stacking tab and/or a stacking tab receiving opening. The stacking tabs may be configured to be positioned within a stacking tab receiving opening of an adjacent container after the sheet has been folded into a three-dimensional container.