Modular Fluid Container with Interlocking Protrusions
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current water storage and transportation methods are inefficient and costly, leading to logistical challenges in providing clean water to those in need, and existing containers become heavy, expensive to ship, and often result in environmental waste when discarded.
Innovation Solution
A polymeric, cube-shaped fluid container with protrusions and recesses for mechanical engagement, along with a handle and spout, allowing for easy assembly into structures after use, enabling the reuse of containers for building purposes.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If traditional closed containers are used for water transportation, then water can be maintained in a clean environment, but the containers become exceedingly heavy when loaded, making shipment complex and expensive
Solution Approach 1:
The container is divided into modular sections with protrusions and recesses that allow segmentation during transport and assembly into structures after use
Solution Approach 2:
The container serves dual purposes: transporting water and serving as building material after use, eliminating the need for separate disposal or recycling processes
2Loss of energy
If containers are discarded after use, then transportation costs are reduced, but significant environmental waste is generated
Solution Approach 1:
Instead of discarding containers after water transport, they are recovered and reused as building materials through the protrusion-recess engagement system
Solution Approach 2:
The container transitions from water storage function to structural building function, maximizing resource utilization
3Adaptability or versatility
If containers are transported back after use, then they can be reused, but transportation costs increase
Solution Approach 1:
The container design allows for easy disassembly and local deployment without requiring return transportation to central facilities
Solution Approach 2:
The container system is designed to be self-sufficient after use, requiring no additional transportation or processing to be reused as building material
4Ease of manufacture
If simple containers are used for water storage, then manufacturing is easy, but they cannot be reused for building purposes
Solution Approach 1:
The container is designed to perform both water storage and structural building functions through integrated protrusion-recess engagement features
Solution Approach 2:
The modular design with standardized protrusions and recesses enables simple manufacturing while allowing flexible assembly into various structural configurations
Data Source
AI summary
A packaging container for the transportation and distribution of fluids, pellets, and granular materials, that may also be used as a building material. The packaging container includes two protrusions extending from the packaging container exterior surface and forms two recesses in the packaging container exterior surface, the protrusions and recesses sized and shaped so that a protrusion can be inserted within a recess to link two or more packaging containers together in an effort to construct a structure. The packaging container also has a notch and channel defined in the exterior surface, each sized and shaped to receive a container spout and handle therein, so that a flush engagement can be achieved when connecting a significant number of containers in the construction of a large structure, such as a wall of a dwelling. A method of utilizing the packaging containers in this manner is also provided.