Corrugated Furniture Package With Retainer Structures
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Solution Overview
Problem
The challenge lies in securely packaging heavy or bulky items like furniture for shipping, as existing methods require lifting and can result in damage due to side-to-side movement during transportation.
Innovation Solution
A corrugated package design featuring a receiver with spaced-apart sidewalls and a bottom panel, reinforced corners, and a floor member with retainer structures to prevent lateral movement, allowing for easier item placement and secure positioning within the package.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If the item is packaged in an upright position using conventional methods, then the item is protected during shipping, but the item requires lifting over the sidewall which is difficult and requires at least two persons
Solution Approach 1:
The package is divided into a base portion and a cover portion that can be separately assembled. The base portion includes sidewalls with openings that allow the item to be rolled or slid in horizontally without lifting, while the cover portion is assembled separately and then placed over the item to complete the packaging.
Solution Approach 2:
The package design allows item insertion through a horizontal dimension (openings in the sidewalls) rather than requiring vertical lifting over the top. This dimensional change in the insertion path enables single-person operation for heavy items by utilizing the horizontal opening in the sidewall as the entry point.
2Reliability
If the item is placed in the package, then the item is secured for shipping, but the item may shift side to side during shipping which causes damage
Solution Approach 1:
Retainer structures are pre-formed as integral parts of the base portion sidewalls. These retainers protrude inward to create retention surfaces that will automatically engage with the item when it is placed in the package, preventing side-to-side movement before shipping begins. The retainers are built-in during package manufacturing rather than added separately.
Solution Approach 2:
The retainer structures are strategically positioned at specific locations on the sidewalls where they protrude inward to create localized retention surfaces. These localized features provide targeted friction and mechanical engagement with the item at critical points, preventing shifting during shipping without requiring the entire package structure to be overly complex.
Data Source
AI summary
A package has a receiving portion having opposing sidewalls extending upwardly from a bottom panel to define an item-receiving area therein, and a cover configured to be positioned about the receiving portion to enclose the item-receiving area. The receiving portion may include reinforcing members extending upwardly from the corners of the bottom panel and positioned at the edges of the sidewalls. A floor member, configured to reduce lateral movement of the item in the item-receiving area, may also be positioned on the bottom panel of the receiving portion.