Interlocking Container Surfaces for Stable Leak-Resistant Stacking
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing stackable containers lack stability and aesthetic appeal, leading to potential leakage and unsuitable design for collecting or decorating, as well as limited surface area coverage for displaying information or designs.
Innovation Solution
The container features a plane surface for forming a two-dimensional composite with positive connections through protruding and recessed forms, ensuring stability and full surface coverage, allowing for secure stacking and imprinting of motifs or information without joints.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If conventional screw closures and central receiving deepening are used for interconnection, then the containers can be connected, but the interconnection acts like a lever that easily opens the screw closure with minor agitation, causing liquid leakage
Solution Approach 1:
The patent removes the screw closure component entirely and replaces it with a press-fit connection system using protruding forms and corresponding recesses. This extraction of the problematic screw mechanism eliminates the lever effect that caused closures to open during agitation, while maintaining secure interconnection through geometric mating forms.
Solution Approach 2:
Instead of using a closure that requires threading and tightening (screw mechanism), the patent inverts the approach by using a press-fit system where the protruding form is inserted into the corresponding recess. This reversal of the connection mechanism eliminates the lever effect inherent in screw closures and provides a more stable connection resistant to agitation.
2Reliability
If bottles are connected using screw closures and receiving deepening, then interconnection is achieved, but the composite structure does not form an intimate composite with fully covered surface area
Solution Approach 1:
The patent transitions from point-contact or line-contact connections (screw closure at one location) to surface-contact connections through protruding forms that engage corresponding recesses across extended surfaces. This dimensional expansion of the connection interface creates intimate composites with fully covered surface areas, eliminating gaps and improving structural integrity.
3Volume of moving object
If conventional container shapes are used for stacking, then space-saving storage is achieved, but esthetic aspects are rarely taken into account and the containers are not suitable as collector's items
Solution Approach 1:
The patent designs containers with protruding forms and corresponding recesses that serve multiple functions: they enable space-efficient stacking arrangements, create aesthetically pleasing patterns when stacked, and provide stable mechanical connections. This multi-functionality allows the same geometric features to fulfill both practical storage requirements and aesthetic collection purposes.
4Adaptability or versatility
If containers are designed for stacking with basic connection elements, then functionality is achieved, but the ability to display two-dimensionally sculptured creations or information is lost
Solution Approach 1:
The patent segments the container surface into distinct planar areas that are free of connection elements, creating dedicated display zones. The protruding forms and recesses are positioned at specific locations that do not interfere with large continuous surfaces, allowing these segmented areas to be used for printing motifs, information, or two-dimensional sculptured creations while maintaining stacking functionality.
Data Source
AI summary
The invention relates to a container (1), which is provided with a lock, can be filled with a liquid and is positively connectable with at least one another container (1). In order to form an assembly of several containers (1), the invention is characterized in that the containers (1) are provided with at least one flat surface, several containers can be assembled according to a two-dimensional interconnection, and a form fit is obtainable with at least one adjacent container, at least one first form (2, 5) projected with respect to the base form of the container (1), is engageable into at least one second corresponding form embedded in the base form of the container (1), and extends at least to one surface thereof.