Foldable Storage Box With Detachable Support Bars
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional storage boxes occupy fixed space and cannot be compactly folded, limiting their use in space-constrained environments, and existing foldable designs often lack efficient stacking and side-by-side configurations.
Innovation Solution
A foldable storage box with a soft-walled body, top and bottom frames, and detachable supporting bars that can be used to form a container for storing objects, featuring magnetic attachment elements and fastening means for enhanced support and stacking capabilities.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Strength
If conventional storage boxes are integrally molded from plastics, then the structural strength is improved, but the occupied space cannot be reduced when not in use
Solution Approach 1:
The storage box is divided into separate components: a soft walled body, a top frame, a bottom frame, and multiple supporting bars. These segments can be detached and folded flat when not in use, significantly reducing occupied space while maintaining structural integrity when assembled.
Solution Approach 2:
The box transitions from a static rigid structure to a dynamic collapsible structure. The supporting bars can be detached and reattached, allowing the box to fold into a compact flat pack configuration and unfold into a functional container as needed.
2Adaptability or versatility
If foldable storage boxes use soft cloth with hard boards, then the folding capability is improved, but the structural stability deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The box is segmented into a soft walled body and separate rigid frames with detachable supporting bars. This segmentation allows the rigid components to provide structural stability while the soft body enables folding capability.
Solution Approach 2:
Different parts of the box have different properties: the walled body is soft and flexible for folding, while the frames and supporting bars are rigid for structural stability. This local differentiation of material properties resolves the contradiction between flexibility and rigidity.
3Ease of manufacture
If conventional storage boxes are made with fixed structure, then the manufacturing simplicity is improved, but the space utilization deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The box is manufactured as separate simple components (soft walled body, frames, supporting bars) that can be easily produced independently and then assembled. This segmentation maintains manufacturing simplicity while enabling compact folding.
Solution Approach 2:
The soft walled body made of flexible material allows the box to fold into a compact flat pack, dramatically improving space utilization while the overall structure remains relatively simple to manufacture.
4Device complexity
If foldable boxes lack attachment elements, then the device complexity is reduced, but the stacking capability deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
Attachment elements are integrated into the frame structures, merging the stacking function with the existing box components. This allows multiple boxes to be stacked or placed side by side without adding significant complexity to the overall design.
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
Enables convenient folding and unfolding of the box into a flat pack, allowing for efficient use of space by allowing multiple boxes to be stacked or placed side by side, optimizing storage capacity.
Implementation Method 1
The top frame is provided with an attachment element on a top surface thereof and an attachment element on a side surface thereof. The bottom frame is provided with an attachment element on a bottom surface thereof and an attachment element on a side surface thereof, such that two separate boxes can be held in a stack or side by side with the attachment elements.
Data Source
AI summary
A foldable storage box comprises a soft walled body open at its top end and closed at the opposing end, a top frame being mounted with the walled body and contiguous to the open top end, and a bottom frame being mounted with the walled body and contiguous to the closed opposing end; wherein the top frame are provided with attachment elements respectively on its bottom and side surfaces, the bottom frame are provided with attachment elements respectively on its top and side surfaces, such that separate boxes can be held in stacks or side by side with the attachment elements. A plurality of supporting bars are provided within the walled body to each serve as a support between the top and bottom frames to form a container. The supporting bars can be detached from the both frames to enable the walled body to be folded into a flat pack.