Integrated Handle Bag Sheet Design for Manufacturing Cost Reduction
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing methods for manufacturing foldable bags with handles are labor-intensive and require complex logistical processes due to separate handle production and assembly, increasing manufacturing costs and complexity.
Innovation Solution
A sheet for folding a tote bag that integrates a handle, where the main body part, first covering part, and second covering part form the bag's structure, with folding sections and fixing elements allowing for handle formation directly on the sheet, reducing manufacturing complexity and logistical steps by using a single layer of material.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of manufacture
If handles are manufactured separately and assembled to the bag, then the bag can have a handle, but the manufacturing effort and logistical complexity increase significantly
Solution Approach 1:
The patent integrates the handle directly into the bag body by forming both components from a single sheet material. The handle is created as an integral part of the bag through predetermined fold lines and continuous material structure, eliminating separate handle manufacturing and assembly operations. This merging of components directly reduces manufacturing effort and logistical complexity while maintaining handle functionality.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent uses predetermined fold lines to segment the continuous sheet material into functional regions (bag body, handle, flaps) while maintaining structural continuity. The fold lines create distinct geometric segments that form the handle and bag components through folding, allowing complex 3D structures to be formed from a simple 2D sheet without separate assembly steps.
2Ease of manufacture
If handles are manufactured separately and assembled to the bag, then the bag can have a handle, but manufacturing costs increase
Solution Approach 1:
The handle and bag body are combined into a single integrated structure formed from one continuous sheet. This eliminates the need for separate handle production, handling, storage, and assembly operations, directly reducing manufacturing costs and assembly complexity while ensuring proper handle placement and structural integrity.
Solution Approach 2:
The sheet structure includes self-forming features where the handle and bag body automatically assume their final configurations through predetermined fold lines and geometric relationships during the folding process. The structure is self-assembling, requiring no additional assembly steps or external intervention to attach the handle to the bag body.
3Productivity
If the sheet structure is simplified for easier manufacturing, then production becomes more efficient, but structural integrity may be compromised
Solution Approach 1:
The sheet is pre-designed with predetermined fold lines and geometric features that guide the folding process and ensure proper formation of the handle and bag body. These preliminary structural elements are built into the flat sheet before folding, ensuring that the final 3D structure achieves the required structural integrity through the inherent geometry and material continuity rather than requiring complex assembly or reinforcement.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent employs curved fold lines and geometric shaping to distribute stresses evenly throughout the structure. The continuous material flow and strategic placement of fold lines create load paths that maintain structural integrity while allowing the simplified single-sheet construction to support the required mechanical loads during use.
Data Source
Figure 1
Figure 2
Figure 3a~3b
AI summary
The sheet according to the invention comprises: at least one main body portion (4) for forming a base (6), a cover (8), as well as a first lateral wall (10) and a second lateral wall (11) of the carrier bag (2); a first overlap portion (12) for forming an end-side side wall (14) of the carrier bag (2) and for forming a first fixing element (16) of a handle (28); and a second overlap portion (20) for forming a rear-side wall (22) of the carrier bag (2) and for forming a second fixing element (26) of the handle (28), wherein, in a first configuration, sections of the main body portion are superimposed in a planar manner at least by one part of the first overlap portion and/or by a part of the second overlap portion, wherein the main body portion (4), the first overlap portion (12) and the second overlap portion (2) each have folds (100-108; 200-212; 300-312), wherein the main body portion, the first overlap portion and the second overlap portion each bend along the respective folds as a result of a folding movement.