Front-Rollover Shipping Container Stability
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Front-rollover-style shipping containers for meat or poultry patties are prone to failure across the back and cover plate, leading to instability when column-stacked, as the strong front serves as a fulcrum, causing tipping and productivity issues.
Innovation Solution
A front-rollover-style shipping container with self-locking features and tray-style depth, featuring two overlapping front wall panels and dust flaps with nicks for alignment, allowing for column-stacking and secure lid closure, requiring no specialized equipment for assembly.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of manufacture
If the container uses a one-piece front-rollover-style design with reduced corrugated paperboard grade, then material cost is reduced and assembly is simplified, but the container fails across the back and cover plate, leading to instability when column-stacked
Solution Approach 1:
The front wall is divided into two separate panels (first front wall panel and second front wall panel) that are coextensively overlapped and joined together. This segmentation allows each panel to provide structural support independently while the overlap creates a reinforced joint, preventing failure across the front and improving overall structural integrity without complicating the one-piece design
Solution Approach 2:
The container incorporates pre-formed locking features including locking tabs on the front wall panels that engage with slots in the bottom wall, and a tucked-in flap on the lid that automatically locks into position. These preliminary structural features ensure stability during column-stacking and prevent accidental opening during transit, addressing reliability concerns before the container is put into service
2Strength
If the container has a strong front wall design, then front structural strength is improved, but the strong front serves as a fulcrum point causing the stack to tip toward the weak back side when column-stacked
Solution Approach 1:
The container employs local quality enhancement by adding reinforcement features specifically at critical locations: the coextensive overlap of front wall panels with locking tabs engages with bottom wall slots to strengthen the front, while the back wall and dust flaps are designed with appropriate thickness and support structures. This distributed reinforcement approach balances strength across all walls, preventing the strong front from acting as a fulcrum and improving overall stack stability
3Loss of substance
If the container uses a smaller blank size, then material usage is reduced and cost is lowered, but trim options off of the corrugators are reduced
Solution Approach 1:
The container design utilizes efficient dimensional arrangement of the blank, with the two front wall panels arranged in an overlapping configuration that optimizes material usage. The blank is designed to work with standard corrugator trim settings by aligning fold lines and cut lines with typical equipment capabilities, thus reducing material waste without sacrificing manufacturing flexibility
4Ease of manufacture
If the lid is not locked into position, then assembly is simpler, but the lid may accidentally open during transit and jam the passageway, causing lost productivity
Solution Approach 1:
The lid incorporates a self-locking mechanism where a tucked-in flap on the lid automatically engages with a corresponding feature on the container body when the lid is placed on top. This self-service locking action occurs automatically during assembly without requiring additional steps or equipment, yet provides reliable security to prevent accidental opening during transit, thus maintaining both ease of manufacture and transit reliability
Data Source
AI summary
A front-rollover-style and hammer lock shipping container formed from a one-piece unitary blank of material which comprises a bottom wall foldably joined to upstanding opposed parallel side walls, a back wall, and a front wall to form an interior space. A top wall is foldably joined to the back wall. The bottom wall comprises two front slots each of which is formed on longitudinal edge in proximity of the front wall. The front wall comprises two wall panels being coextensively in overlapping relationship wherein one of the front wall panels includes a pair of front locking tabs spaced apart from one another that are engaged with the respective two front slots when the container is fully constructed.