Modular Device Separatable Encasements Connector Hinges
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing modular product storage devices face challenges in allowing easy replacement of used products without damaging the contents and are often inefficient in material usage and environmental sustainability, particularly when using materials like plastic that require tight tolerances for assembly.
Innovation Solution
A modular device comprising separatable encasements and docks with connectors that allow for easy assembly and disassembly, using materials like plastic for encasements with tight tolerances and paper or glass for docks, enabling easy product access and replacement while minimizing material usage and environmental impact.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Manufacturing precision
If plastic materials are used for encasements requiring tight tolerances, then assembly precision is improved, but material waste and environmental impact worsen
Solution Approach 1:
The device is divided into separable components: a reusable dock and disposable encasements. This segmentation allows the precision-critical connector parts to be manufactured once from durable materials (paper, wood, glass) in the dock, while the encasements can be made from more sustainable materials. The connector and opening are designed as separate, replaceable elements that interface precisely without requiring the entire encasement to be made from high-precision materials.
Solution Approach 2:
Different materials are used for different parts of the device based on functional requirements. The dock, which requires structural stability and precise connector positioning, is made from sustainable materials with sufficient precision. The encasements, which need to hold products but don't require the same level of persistent precision, can be made from more environmentally friendly materials. This local differentiation of material quality reduces overall material waste while maintaining necessary assembly precision at critical interfaces.
2Ease of operation
If separable encasements are designed for easy replacement, then ease of operation is improved, but device complexity worsens
Solution Approach 1:
The device is segmented into a permanent dock and removable encasements. The dock contains the complex, reusable infrastructure (platforms, connector mechanisms), while the encasements are simple, disposable units containing only the product and basic holding structure. This segmentation makes replacement simple (just remove and insert encasement) while confining the complexity to the reusable dock portion.
Solution Approach 2:
The connector mechanism is extracted as a separate, standardized interface between the dock and encasement. The connector on the encasement and the opening in the dock are designed as complementary, simple geometric features that enable easy coupling and decoupling. This extraction of the connection function into a standardized interface simplifies the replacement operation while managing overall device complexity through modular design.
3Adaptability or versatility
If reusable docks with sustainable materials are used, then environmental sustainability is improved, but manufacturing precision worsens
Solution Approach 1:
The device separates the precision-critical connector interface (in the reusable dock) from the product-holding encasement. The dock, made from sustainable materials like paper, wood, or glass, contains the connector opening which is manufactured with sufficient precision for reliable assembly. The encasements, which don't require the same level of persistent precision, can be made from highly sustainable materials with more relaxed tolerances, reducing overall manufacturing complexity while maintaining sustainability.
Solution Approach 2:
Sustainable materials are used throughout the device, with the dock (made from paper, wood, or glass) providing the structural framework and precise connector interface. The encasements use sustainable materials optimized for their specific function of holding and protecting the product during use and replacement. This local optimization of material properties allows sustainable materials to be used effectively while maintaining necessary precision at critical interfaces through appropriate material selection and design.
Data Source
AI summary
The present disclosure describes a modular primary device with removable product encasements. The device includes a removable encasement that is inserted into a modular unit. The device is configured such that it can connect to a second modular unit via connectors attached to the respective encasements. The user can open and close the device and, connect and disconnect one modular unit from an adjacent modular unit by manipulating the connectors which also act as hinges. The innovation is especially suitable for devices having portions composed of materials such as paper, wood, and glass, whose characteristics do not allow tight tolerance dimensioning.