Laundry Basket Inner Wall Structure for Accessory Storage and Stacking

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Solution Overview

Problem

Conventional laundry baskets or tubs are cumbersome for transporting laundry and accessories due to their weight, making it difficult to carry both simultaneously, and they cannot be stacked for storage, which increases their size and prevents them from being stored with other similar containers.

Innovation Solution

A container with an elastically deformable inner wall element that can be fixed to the side wall and tilted between two stable configurations, allowing it to interlock with other containers for stacking and provide a receptacle for accessories, while maintaining stability during transport and storage.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Adaptability or versatility

If accessories are placed in the laundry basket with laundry, then accessories can be transported together, but accessories risk being buried under the laundry

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveability to transport accessories with laundryVSAvoidaccessibility of accessories
Core Design Contradiction:
Adaptability or versatilityVSEase of operation

Solution Approach 1:

The container is divided into two functional zones: a main receptacle for laundry and a secondary receptacle for accessories. This segmentation allows accessories to be stored separately from laundry, preventing them from being buried while enabling simultaneous transport of both items in a single container.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

The secondary receptacle for accessories is nested within the main container body, forming a compartmentalized structure. This nested arrangement allows the accessory receptacle to be integrated into the overall container while maintaining separate access, solving the problem of accessories being buried under laundry.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #7Nested doll (Nesting)

2Adaptability or versatility

If an additional basket is hung on the laundry basket for accessories, then accessories can be transported, but the size increases and stacking is prevented

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveability to transport accessoriesVSAvoidoverall size of container
Core Design Contradiction:
Adaptability or versatilityVSVolume of moving object

Solution Approach 1:

Instead of adding a separate external basket, the accessory receptacle is nested within the main container walls. This integrated nested design provides accessory storage functionality while maintaining a compact overall volume that allows stacking with other homologous containers.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #7Nested doll (Nesting)

Solution Approach 2:

The accessory receptacle and main laundry container are merged into a single integrated structure rather than separate components. This merging eliminates the need for additional external attachments, reducing overall size while maintaining the ability to transport both laundry and accessories together.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #5Merging (Combining)

3Adaptability or versatility

If the container size is increased to accommodate both laundry and accessories, then both can be transported, but stacking with other containers is prevented

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvecapacity to hold laundry and accessoriesVSAvoidstackability for storage
Core Design Contradiction:
Adaptability or versatilityVSEase of manufacture

Solution Approach 1:

The container volume is segmented into functional compartments (laundry receptacle and accessory receptacle) rather than increasing overall external dimensions. This internal segmentation provides increased capacity while maintaining a compact external footprint that enables stacking.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

Instead of increasing container size in external dimensions, the design utilizes internal spatial arrangement and wall thickness optimization to create accessory storage space. This dimensional optimization maintains external compatibility for stacking while providing internal versatility for holding both laundry and accessories.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #17Another dimension (Dimensionality change)

Applied Scientific Principles

This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.

Function Achieved in This Case

Enables easy transport of laundry with accessories and allows for compact storage by interlocking with other containers, reducing the overall size and preventing accessories from being buried, thus addressing the issues of weight and storage compatibility.

Implementation Method 1

the element comprising an elastically deformable frame, the element being able to be fixed on a part of the side wall and able to be tilted, in the configuration fixed on the part, between a first stable configuration and a second stable configuration

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectElasticity: Elasticity

Data Source

PatentEP2108595B1Container, in particular basket or clothes basket
Publication Date: 2011.03.16 ETABLISSEMENTS GEORGES DAVID SA
  • EP2108595B1 patent drawingFigure 1~2
  • EP2108595B1 patent drawingFigure 3
  • EP2108595B1 patent drawingFigure 4

AI summary

The container (1) has a body (3) including a base wall (31) and a lateral wall (33), and an element (5) forming an interior wall, where the element is fixed on curved parts (37) of the wall (33). The element is tilted between a configuration, in which the element is supported against an internal face of the parts, and another configuration, in which the element defines an internal receptacle (7) at the body. The element has a reinforcement made of composite material comprising thermo plastic material and fiber reinforcement.