Interlocking Separator Panels for Stable Tilt-Access Stacking
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing separator systems for organizing items like folded fabrics, wearing apparel, and documents lack a simple, low-cost, and efficient solution for effectively stacking and retrieving items without horizontal rotation, while allowing vertical tilting for easy access.
Innovation Solution
A separator system comprising planar members with integrally formed hollow projections and recesses that interlock to inhibit horizontal rotation while permitting vertical tilting, allowing for efficient stacking and easy retrieval of items, and can be made from materials like polymers, metals, or wood.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If separator systems use simple stacking without interlocking mechanisms, then device complexity is reduced, but horizontal rotation and lateral movement occur causing disorganization
Solution Approach 1:
The separator members feature hollow projections that nest into recesses of adjacent separators, creating an interlocking system that prevents horizontal rotation while maintaining simple vertical stacking. The nested configuration allows one separator to fit within the structural voids of another, providing stability without complex mechanisms.
Solution Approach 2:
The interlocking mechanism operates in the horizontal dimension through recesses and projections, while the stacking operation remains vertical. This dimensional separation allows simple vertical placement to automatically engage horizontal locking, solving the contradiction between stacking ease and horizontal stability.
2Stability of the object's composition
If separator systems include interlocking projections and recesses to prevent horizontal rotation, then horizontal stability is improved, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The hollow projections are integrally formed as part of the separator member structure itself, merging the stabilizing function into the basic separator component. This integration eliminates the need for separate locking mechanisms, reducing overall device complexity while maintaining horizontal stability.
Solution Approach 2:
The recesses and projections create a nested interlocking system where simpler individual separator members combine to form a collectively stable structure. Each separator remains simple in design, but the system achieves complexity-only-where-needed through the nested arrangement.
3Stability of the object's composition
If separator members are designed to inhibit horizontal rotation through interlocking, then item organization is improved, but ease of retrieval decreases due to tighter stacking
Solution Approach 1:
The separator system is segmented into identical, modular members with standardized recesses and projections. This segmentation allows individual separators to be easily removed and repositioned while maintaining the interlocking stability of the remaining structure, facilitating item retrieval without compromising organization.
Solution Approach 2:
The interlocking system provides dynamic stability during normal use but allows controlled disruption when retrieval is needed. The recess-projection mechanism maintains horizontal stability during stacking while permitting vertical separation when items need to be accessed, balancing organization with accessibility.
Data Source
AI summary
A separator system is disclosed for organizing items such as fabrics and wearing apparel as well as documents and the like. The separator system comprises a first planar member defined by a first peripheral portion for supporting a first item. A first hollow projection is formed in the first peripheral portion of the first planar member. The first hollow projection defines an first upper projection and a first lower recess. The first upper projection of the first hollow projection extends above the first item for interlocking with a second lower recess of an adjacent second planar member located above the first item.