Modular Container With Pivoting Posts And Extendable Rods
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing bulk material containers are impractical due to complex assembly/disassembly, bulkiness when not in use, and high manufacturing costs, with inadequate stiffness to hold small items and difficulty in adjusting dimensions to meet user needs.
Innovation Solution
A modular container with a peripheral frame, pivotally attached posts, and extendable rods that allow for easy assembly/disassembly, adjustable height, and a compact idle configuration, using a combination of removable longitudinal and transverse walls and extendable rods for versatile use and storage.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Volume of stationary object
If containers are made with removable sidewalls to reduce storage volume, then the container occupies smaller volume when not in use, but the assembly/disassembly becomes complex and time-consuming
Solution Approach 1:
The patent combines multiple removable components (sidewalls, bottom, top) into an integrated folding structure where all walls are hinged to the longitudinal members. This merging of components into a unified folding mechanism simplifies assembly/disassembly to a single motion while achieving compact storage volume.
Solution Approach 2:
The container employs dynamic hinged joints that allow the walls to fold and unfold between extended (storage) and retracted (storage) positions. This dynamic mechanism enables easy transformation between operational and compact states without complex assembly steps.
2Adaptability or versatility
If containers are constructed with predetermined dimensions to meet user needs, then the container can be customized for specific uses, but manufacturing costs increase
Solution Approach 1:
The container is divided into standardized modular segments (longitudinal members, transverse members, hinged walls) that can be assembled in different configurations. This segmentation allows the same components to create containers of various dimensions, reducing the need for custom manufacturing.
Solution Approach 2:
The container design uses universal components that can serve multiple functions and configurations. The same hinged wall mechanism and modular members can create containers of different sizes and shapes, making the manufacturing process more efficient and cost-effective.
3Strength
If containers use rigid materials to support weight, then the container has high load capacity, but the container occupies large volume and is bulky when not in use
Solution Approach 1:
The container uses dynamic folding walls made of rigid material that can extend to provide full load capacity when needed and fold flat to minimize storage volume. The rigid material maintains strength during the folding motion and in both extended and retracted positions.
Solution Approach 2:
The folding walls nest within the longitudinal members when retracted, similar to nested dolls. This nesting arrangement allows the rigid load-bearing walls to be contained within the frame structure, minimizing the overall footprint volume when the container is not in use.
4Volume of stationary object
If containers have all removable components for disassembly, then the container can be compacted, but the assembly/disassembly process takes considerable time
Solution Approach 1:
Multiple removable components are merged into a single hinged folding mechanism. Instead of separately removing and storing walls, bottom, and top, the entire structure folds in unison through hinged joints, reducing the number of discrete assembly steps and time required.
Solution Approach 2:
The hinged joints are pre-configured in specific positions that automatically guide the folding motion. This preliminary positioning of joints ensures that the assembly/disassembly process follows a predetermined path, reducing the time and complexity of the operation.
Data Source
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AI summary
A modular container (1) for storage and transport of items, which comprises a peripheral frame (2) having a substantially rectangular plan shape, a plurality of transverse members (3) rigidly joined to the frame (2) and longitudinally spaced apart to form a bottom wall (4) with transverse gaps (5), a pair of longitudinal walls (6) and a pair of transverse walls (7), which are both removable and substantially perpendicular to the frame (2), a post (8) attached to the peripheral frame (2) proximate each vertex thereof. Each post (8) is a hollow profile adapted to accommodate at one end a first extendable rod (9) with a foot (10) and at the opposite end a second extendable rod (11). The posts (8) are pivotally attached to the frame (2) to move from an operating configuration in which the posts (8) are substantially perpendicular to the frame (2), thereby allowing both the first rod (9) and the second rod (11) to extend and the longitudinal wall (6) and the transverse wall (7) to be attached, to an idle configuration in which the longitudinal wall (6) and transverse wall (7) are removed and the posts (8) are pivoted 90° with the first coupling means (14) accommodated in the transverse gaps (5).