Two-Piece Fruit Picker Basket Nesting Design

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Solution Overview

Problem

Existing hand-held fruit pickers with hollow baskets occupy significant space, making shipment inefficient and costly due to limited capacity in shipping containers.

Innovation Solution

A two-piece fruit picker design with semi-circular basket portions that can be selectively connected and disassembled for nesting, reducing space occupancy during shipment, storage, and retailing.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Reliability

If a hollow basket is used in a fruit picker, then the fruit picker can effectively hold and transport fruit, but the basket occupies considerable space making shipment difficult and costly

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvefruit holding capabilityVSAvoidspace occupancy during shipment

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSVolume of stationary object

Solution Approach 1:

The basket is divided into two separate portions that can be disassembled from each other. During shipment, the portions can be separated and nested to reduce space occupancy. During use, the portions are connected to form the complete basket structure for effective fruit holding.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

The two basket portions are designed to nest within each other when disassembled, creating a compact configuration for shipment and storage. The nested portions occupy significantly less space than the assembled basket, while maintaining the full basket functionality when connected during use.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #7Nested doll (Nesting)

2Volume of stationary object

If a disassemblable two-piece design is used, then space occupancy during shipment is reduced, but the device complexity increases

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvespace occupancy during shipmentVSAvoidstructural complexity

Core Design Contradiction:

Volume of stationary objectVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The basket is segmented into two portions connected by simple attachment mechanisms. The connection and disconnection processes are designed to be straightforward, requiring minimal steps and no specialized tools, thereby limiting the increase in operational complexity despite the segmented structure.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #1Segmentation

3Volume of stationary object

If a disassemblable two-piece design is used, then space occupancy during shipment is reduced, but the ease of manufacture decreases

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvespace occupancy during shipmentVSAvoidmanufacturing efficiency

Core Design Contradiction:

Volume of stationary objectVSEase of manufacture

Solution Approach 1:

The basket is manufactured as two separate portions that can be produced independently, allowing for specialized manufacturing techniques to be applied to each portion. The connection mechanisms are designed to be simple and efficient to assemble, potentially reducing overall manufacturing complexity despite the segmented design.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

The two separately manufactured basket portions are combined using simple connection mechanisms that require minimal assembly steps. The merging process is designed to be efficient, with alignment features and attachment mechanisms that facilitate quick and easy assembly, thereby limiting the impact on manufacturing efficiency.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #5Merging (Combining)

Data Source

PatentUS12120980B1Fruit picker

Publication Date: 2024.10.22 EZ SMART CO

AI summary

A two-piece fruit picker which includes a first basket portion and a second basket portion. The first and second basket portions may be selectively connected together to form the fruit picker. The second basket portion may be positioned in the first basket portion in a nested relationship for shipment, storage, transportation, or retailing purposes.