Load Cap Corrugated Rim Stabilizes Bottles During Wrapping
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing load caps fail to effectively stabilize the upper layer of stacked bottles during transport, leading to instability and potential bottle fall when the wrapping shroud is applied or removed, resulting in breakage.
Innovation Solution
A load cap with a central portion and a rim arrangement featuring corrugations extending parallel to the edge, which are deformable to grip and stabilize the outermost bottles, preventing them from being dislodged by the wrapping process.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Stability of the object's composition
If a sheet is arranged on the upper layer to stabilise bottles, then the upper layer is stabilised, but the sheet deforms when the pallet is wrapped in a shroud and fails to engage all bottles
Solution Approach 1:
The load cap uses a corrugated rim arrangement that acts as a flexible stabilizing structure. The corrugations allow the rim to deform elastically during wrapping while maintaining contact with bottles, replacing the flat sheet that deforms and loses engagement.
Solution Approach 2:
The load cap changes the physical parameter of the stabilizing structure by introducing corrugations with specific pitch and height. These geometric parameters enable the structure to accommodate deformation during wrapping while maintaining stabilizing function.
2Reliability
If the pallet is wrapped in a shroud, then the load is secured, but the wrapping process destabilises the uppermost layer of bottles
Solution Approach 1:
The load cap is placed on the upper layer before wrapping to counteract the destabilizing effect of the shroud. The rim arrangement extends beyond the bottles and deforms during wrapping to maintain engagement, preventing bottles from becoming dislodged by the wrapping process.
Solution Approach 2:
The load cap transitions from a rigid structure to a dynamically adapting structure during wrapping. The corrugated rim deforms elastically to accommodate the wrapping process while maintaining stabilizing pressure on the bottles throughout the operation.
3Stability of the object's composition
If the rim arrangement is made rigid to provide stable support, then support stability is improved, but the rim arrangement cannot deform around corner articles
Solution Approach 1:
The rim arrangement is segmented into multiple corrugations along each edge, allowing independent deformation of each segment. This segmentation enables the rim to adapt to corner articles while maintaining overall structural stability for support.
Solution Approach 2:
The corrugated structure introduces controlled curvature and flexibility to the rim arrangement. The wave-like corrugations allow the rim to bend and deform around corner articles while the overall corrugated structure maintains stabilizing pressure.
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
The load cap provides enhanced stabilization and reduced breakage by gripping the outermost bottles with its deformable corrugations, ensuring they remain in place during transport and wrapping, thereby minimizing the risk of bottles falling.
Implementation Method 1
The rim arrangement may be deformable around the articles at the edges of the central portion
Data Source
AI summary
A load cap (10) comprises a central portion (12) having an edge (14), and a rim arrangement (16) on the edge. The rim arrangement comprises a plurality of corrugations (20) extending substantially parallel to the edge.