Luggage One-Piece Shell with Sloping Curved Corners
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional luggage manufacturing methods cannot produce hybrid luggage cases with sloping curved corners, which are necessary for secure item containment, as they require complex mold removal procedures that are not feasible with existing techniques.
Innovation Solution
A luggage design featuring a one-piece shell with sloping curved corners, manufactured using a family mold system that allows for the injection molding of a continuous structure with a base wall, top wall, side walls, and bottom wall, where the mold is removed in a specific sequence to accommodate the curved design, and equipped with wheels and a handle for enhanced functionality.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Shape
If conventional injection molding is used to manufacture hard-sided luggage, then the luggage provides durable protection and stiffness, but the mold cannot be removed if sloping curved corners are present
Solution Approach 1:
The mold is divided into multiple separable components including a first mold half, a second mold half, and an ejector plate. This segmentation allows the mold parts to be removed in sequence from the hardened luggage, enabling the formation of sloping curved corners that would otherwise trap conventional single-piece molds.
Solution Approach 2:
The ejector plate is configured to move relative to the mold halves, transitioning from a retracted position during injection to an extended position for ejection. This dynamic mechanism enables automatic removal of the mold from the hardened luggage, solving the mold removal problem while maintaining sloping curved corners.
2Reliability
If hybrid luggage cases combine hard-sided and soft-sided portions, then secure protection and expandable packing space are achieved, but complex assembly and manufacturing processes are required
Solution Approach 1:
The hard-sided shell and soft-sided cover are integrated into a single unitary structure where the cover is formed as an integral part of the shell. This merging eliminates the need for separate attachment processes while maintaining both the protective qualities of hard-sided luggage and the expandability of soft-sided luggage.
Solution Approach 2:
The integrated shell-cover structure serves multiple functions simultaneously: it provides rigid protection like hard-sided luggage, allows expansion like soft-sided luggage, and eliminates complex assembly requirements. The single molding process creates a universal structure that combines features of both luggage types.
3Reliability
If sloping curved corners are added to hybrid luggage cases, then item containment is improved, but conventional molding methods cannot produce such shapes
Solution Approach 1:
The segmented mold design with multiple separable halves and an ejector plate enables the formation of sloping curved corners that would trap conventional molds. The sequential removal of mold parts allows these complex geometric features to be created while maintaining manufacturing feasibility.
Solution Approach 2:
The mold design parameters are optimized to accommodate sloping curved corners, including specific configurations of the mold halves and ejector plate that enable precise formation of curved geometries. This allows accurate reproduction of complex shapes that improve item containment.
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 solution provides a secure, rigid, and spacious container with sloping curved corners that securely hold items, overcoming the limitations of conventional luggage designs by enabling the use of materials with higher melt flow rates like polypropylene, and allowing for the expansion of packing space while maintaining durability.
Implementation Method 1
injecting mold material into the mold cavity to make the one-piece shell
Implementation Method 2
injecting mold material into the mold cavity to make the one-piece shell
Data Source
AI summary
The present invention relates to a luggage, having an integrated structure. The luggage includes a one-piece shell, which is constructed from a single molding to form a continuous structure and has at least a top wall and two opposing side walls. The top wall has two sloping curved corners which are sloped and curved toward the cover of the luggage and the respectively abutting side wall. The present also invention provides a method of manufacturing the luggage. The method includes the steps of assembling a family mold to form a mold cavity, injecting mold material into the mold cavity to make the one-piece shell for the luggage, and removing the family mold. The family mold includes an inner mold tool and an outer mold tool, and the step of removing the family mold includes the steps of removing the outer mold tool first, and then, removing the inner mold tool.