Modular Container System with Hinged Panels and Corner Couplers
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional shipping containers occupy large volumes of unused space when not in use, making them expensive to ship and store due to their fixed structure.
Innovation Solution
A modular container system formed from prefabricated parts with hingably attached side panels and corner couplers, including elongated piping support structures and snap features for assembly and additional structural support, allowing for collapsibility and efficient storage.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If conventional shipping containers are used, then structural strength and stability are maintained, but shipping and storage costs increase due to large volumes of unused space when not in use
Solution Approach 1:
The container is divided into multiple modular panels (front, rear, first side, second side panels) that can be independently folded and reconfigured. Each panel is connected through hinge joints, allowing the structure to be segmented into collapsible units that can be stored compactly when not in use, directly addressing the adaptability requirement while maintaining structural integrity through the segmented design.
Solution Approach 2:
The container transitions from a static fixed structure to a dynamic reconfigurable structure through hinge joints and folding mechanisms. The panels can be rotated and folded relative to each other, enabling the container to change its configuration between operational and storage states. This dynamic capability allows the container to adapt its volume and shape, resolving the contradiction between maintaining strength and achieving collapsibility.
2Ease of operation
If fixed structure containers are used, then structural rigidity is maintained, but ease of operation deteriorates due to difficulty in assembly and disassembly
Solution Approach 1:
The container is divided into multiple modular panels that can be independently assembled and disassembled. Each panel is a separate component connected through standardized hinge joints, allowing for easy assembly by simply connecting the panels together without requiring complex fastening mechanisms. This segmentation directly improves ease of operation while the modular nature helps manage structural complexity through standardization.
Solution Approach 2:
The hinge joints enable dynamic assembly and disassembly operations, allowing panels to be easily connected and disconnected through simple rotational movements rather than requiring complex fastening procedures. This dynamic connection mechanism significantly improves ease of operation while the standardized hinge design helps control structural complexity by using repeated, standardized components.
3Volume of stationary object
If modular prefabricated parts are used, then adaptability and storage efficiency improve through collapsibility, but device complexity increases due to multiple components and assembly requirements
Solution Approach 1:
The container is segmented into modular panels that can be collapsed and stored in a compact configuration, dramatically reducing storage volume when not in use. The segmented design with hinge joints allows each panel to fold independently, enabling the entire structure to be compressed into a small fraction of its operational volume, directly addressing the storage efficiency requirement.
Solution Approach 2:
Multiple functional elements are merged into integrated components to reduce overall assembly complexity. The hinge joints serve multiple functions: they connect panels, enable folding motion, provide structural support, and allow for easy assembly/disassembly. By combining these functions into a single integrated hinge mechanism, the patent reduces the number of separate components needed, thereby managing assembly complexity while achieving compact storage.
Data Source
AI summary
A modular container has a container body that includes a bottom panel and four side panels that are hingably and flexibly attached to four edges of the bottom panel. The side panels have elongated piping support structures that extend along each side edge of the side panels and are attached together in an assembled positioned through corner couplers with matched elongated channels that fit over the elongated piping support structures to secure the adjacent side panels into and upright and assembled position.