Modular Insulated Container with L-Shaped Corner Parts
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing insulating containers face challenges in reducing their structural volume for transport and storage while maintaining stability and efficiency, particularly in stacking and preventing displacement under internal pressure.
Innovation Solution
The design incorporates L-shaped corner parts that can be directly connected to the tub and lid in a positive and/or non-positive manner, featuring a tongue and groove connection and form-fitting anchors to secure the corners, allowing for modular replacement and efficient stacking.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If the peripheral wall is increased by adding corner parts, then the stability and insulation effectiveness are improved, but the structural volume and complexity increase
Solution Approach 1:
The peripheral wall is segmented into side walls and corner parts, where corner parts are discrete L-shaped elements that can be independently manufactured and assembled. This segmentation allows the corner parts to be optimized for stability while keeping the overall structure manageable and not excessively complex.
Solution Approach 2:
The corner parts merge multiple functions into a single component: they provide structural stability through their L-shape, enhance insulation by being made of insulating material, and enable modular assembly through positive connection features. This merging improves reliability without proportionally increasing complexity.
2Ease of operation
If the container is designed as modular components, then the ease of assembly and storage efficiency are improved, but the manufacturing complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The container is divided into modular components (tub, lid, corner parts) that can be manufactured separately using standardized processes and then assembled. The corner parts serve as reusable modules that can be applied to different container configurations, reducing overall manufacturing complexity despite the modular design.
Solution Approach 2:
The L-shaped corner parts are universal components that can be used with different tub and lid configurations. The same corner part design can serve multiple assembly scenarios, reducing the number of unique parts that need to be manufactured and simplifying the manufacturing process while maintaining ease of assembly.
3Reliability
If the corner parts are anchored in multiple directions, then the resistance to displacement under pressure is improved, but the device complexity and assembly difficulty increase
Solution Approach 1:
The anchoring features are localized to specific areas of the corner parts where they are most needed for structural integrity. The positive connection features are positioned at the interfaces between corner parts and tub/lid, providing targeted reinforcement without requiring complex anchoring throughout the entire structure.
Solution Approach 2:
The positive connection features are designed to automatically engage and lock the corner parts in place during assembly, without requiring additional fastening operations or complex alignment procedures. The geometry of the connection features itself provides the anchoring function, simplifying the assembly process while maintaining resistance to displacement.
Data Source
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AI summary
The invention relates to an insulated container 1 consisting of a tub 3 with an opening 31 and a lid 2 for closing the opening 31. The tub 3 has a circumferential wall with four side walls 41-44, each oriented at right angles to one another. The lid 2 and the tub 3 are formed from identical, one-piece, self-supporting, and insulating foam or plastic parts, which are directly connected to one another by a form-fit and/or force-fit connection, enclosing a transport volume 5. The insulated container 1 should be able to be reduced in size when empty and be stackable.The circumferential wall of the tub 3 is raised in a direction X by at least one layer 6a-6c of one-piece, material-identical, and insulating corner parts 71a-74c, wherein the corner parts 71a-74c are arranged in the circumferential direction U around the opening 31 and each corner part 71a-74c, having a right-angled or L-shaped basic form, can be directly connected to the lid 2 and/or the tub 3 by means of a form-fit and/or force-fit connection.