Interlocking Panel Travel Desk for Tool-Free Rigid Assembly
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional assembled furniture is difficult and time-consuming to assemble or disassemble without tools, often lacks rigidity, and poses challenges in relocation due to size constraints, requiring on-site assembly and separate transportation solutions.
Innovation Solution
A collapsible travel desk composed of interlocking rigid panels that can be assembled and disassembled tool-free, featuring dovetail joints and sliding engagement mechanisms, allowing for compact storage and easy reassembly into a functional desk or other furniture forms.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Strength
If conventional furniture uses screws or fasteners to hold sections together, then the furniture achieves structural strength and rigidity, but the assembly and disassembly process becomes difficult and time-consuming requiring tools
Solution Approach 1:
The furniture is divided into discrete modular panels that can be independently assembled and disassembled. Each panel contains standardized interlocking features that enable tool-free connection while maintaining structural integrity through the distributed modular architecture
Solution Approach 2:
Traditional screws and fasteners are extracted from the design entirely. The patent replaces these with integrated interlocking features built into the panel structures themselves, eliminating the need for separate fastening components and tools while maintaining connection strength
2Reliability
If furniture is assembled on-site using tools, then the furniture achieves proper assembly and structural integrity, but the process becomes time-consuming and requires specialized service
Solution Approach 1:
The interlocking panel system is designed to be self-assembling without requiring external fasteners or specialized tools. Users can directly connect panels through the built-in interlocking features, making the assembly process accessible to anyone without specialized service
Solution Approach 2:
The interlocking features are pre-integrated into the panel structures during manufacturing. This preliminary preparation of connection mechanisms eliminates the need for on-site fastener installation and reduces assembly time while ensuring reliable connections
3Stability of the object's composition
If furniture is assembled permanently at one location, then the furniture achieves stability and rigidity, but the furniture cannot be easily relocated or transported through doorways
Solution Approach 1:
The furniture is segmented into modular panels that can be easily separated and reconfigured. This segmentation allows the furniture to be disassembled for relocation while maintaining stability when assembled, providing adaptability for different locations and space constraints
Solution Approach 2:
The furniture transitions from a static permanent installation to a dynamic reconfigurable system. The interlocking panels can be easily assembled and disassembled, allowing the furniture to adapt to different locations, room configurations, and transportation requirements while maintaining structural integrity
4Strength
If furniture uses traditional fasteners and assembly methods, then the furniture achieves structural integrity, but the disassembled components require separate storage and transportation solutions
Solution Approach 1:
The storage case serves multiple functions: it stores the disassembled panels, protects them during transportation, and provides a portable carrying solution. By merging storage and transportation functions into a single integrated case, the system reduces overall complexity while maintaining structural integrity of the furniture
Data Source
AI summary
A collapsible furniture item having a set of panels that a person without the aid of tools can slidingly interlock with each other to form a standalone upright furniture item and once assembled can be quickly disassembled also without the aid tools to allow the panels to be transported to a different location for quick and efficient assembled into a standalone upright furniture through interlocking engagement between the panels.