Folded Sheet Structural Members for Flat-Pack Assembly
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing structural members, such as support legs and connectors, often require specialized machinery and skilled labor for production and assembly, and their transportation is inefficient due to empty space in packaging, increasing costs.
Innovation Solution
Folded sheets of material with defined tabs, slots, and fold lines are used to form structural members and connectors, allowing for efficient assembly and transportation by aligning slots and tabs or fingers to create webs and male ends, which can be joined to form frameworks and structures.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of manufacture
If structural members are produced and assembled at a first location using specialized machinery and skilled labor, then the structural members can be formed with complex shapes and cavities, but the transportation costs increase due to significant empty space in packaging
Solution Approach 1:
The structural members are segmented into flat sheet components that can be folded together. The sheets include fold lines, tabs, and slots that allow assembly into three-dimensional structures with cavities and complex geometries. This segmentation enables the members to be flattened for efficient packaging while maintaining the capability to form complex shapes at the assembly location.
Solution Approach 2:
The invention transitions from three-dimensional structural members to two-dimensional flat sheets for transportation. The sheets are designed with fold lines and geometric features that enable them to be assembled into three-dimensional structures at the destination. This dimensional transformation maximizes packaging efficiency while preserving the structural complexity needed for the final product.
2Reliability
If structural members are transported in packaged form, then the structural members can be protected during transportation, but the volumetric space required increases due to empty space between members
Solution Approach 1:
The structural members are divided into flat sheet segments that can be nested or stacked efficiently. The sheets include features like tabs and slots that allow them to interlock or align during packaging, minimizing gaps and empty space while maintaining protection during transportation.
Solution Approach 2:
The structural members are designed as flexible or foldable thin sheet structures that can be collapsed or flattened for compact packaging. These thin film-like sheets can be stacked tightly together, reducing the volumetric space required while still providing adequate protection during transport.
3Strength
If structural members are formed with complex shapes and cavities, then the structural integrity and functionality are improved, but the assembly process requires specialized skills and machinery
Solution Approach 1:
The complex structural members are segmented into flat sheet components with pre-defined fold lines, tabs, and slots. These segmented sheets can be assembled by aligning and connecting the tabs and slots, which simplifies the assembly process compared to forming complex shapes from solid material. The segmentation maintains structural integrity while reducing assembly complexity.
Solution Approach 2:
The flat sheet components include self-aligning features such as tabs that fit into slots, fold lines that guide the folding process, and geometric features that automatically position components correctly during assembly. This self-service design reduces the need for specialized skills and machinery, allowing assembly to be performed with minimal tools and training.
Data Source
AI summary
Disclosed herein are folded sheets of material for use as a structural member and assembly thereof. According to an aspect, a sheet of material defines one or more tabs, slots, and a plurality of fold lines. The fold lines are spaced such that folding the sheet along the fold lines places the slots in substantial alignment for receiving the at least one tab such that a structural member having a web formed in an interior thereof is formed.