Modular Storage System for Building Materials

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Solution Overview

Problem

Conventional transportation and storage systems for light weight building materials face challenges such as damage during handling, inefficiency, high costs, and safety risks due to manual and mechanical loading at heights, which result in time wastage and increased labor expenses.

Innovation Solution

A modular transportation and storage system comprising a base with ratchet strap channels, self-supporting racks, and a lightweight skeletal trailer with airbag suspension and twist locks, allowing for secure, efficient, and safe loading and unloading of materials at ground level, facilitating high-capacity storage and reduced human effort.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Productivity

If articles are continuously moved while piecing together, packing, storing, loading and unloading, then the transportation and storage process can be completed, but the articles may be damaged during these operations

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvetransportation and storage process completionVSAvoidarticle damage

Core Design Contradiction:

ProductivityVSObject-affected harmful factors

Solution Approach 1:

The system divides the transportation process into separate functional modules: storage racks for holding articles, bases for grouping articles, and trailers for transport. This segmentation allows articles to be stored and grouped without continuous handling, reducing damage while maintaining productivity.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

Articles are pre-grouped on bases and pre-stored in racks before being loaded onto trailers. This preliminary action eliminates the need for continuous piecing together during transport, reducing handling operations and minimizing article damage while maintaining efficient transportation.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #10Preliminary action

2Ease of operation

If articles are packed and transported as individual packs, then each article can be handled separately, but this is not an efficient way of packing and transporting and is not cost-effective

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveseparate article handlingVSAvoidpacking and transporting efficiency

Core Design Contradiction:

Ease of operationVSProductivity

Solution Approach 1:

Multiple individual packs of articles are merged onto single bases, which are then stored together in racks and transported together on trailers. This merging maintains the ease of separate handling during loading/unloading while dramatically improving packing efficiency and reducing transport costs compared to moving individual packs.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #5Merging (Combining)

Solution Approach 2:

The bases and racks are designed as universal platforms that can accommodate multiple different article packs simultaneously. This multi-functionality allows efficient grouping of various articles on single bases for transport, improving productivity while maintaining operational flexibility.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #6Universality (Multi-functionality)

3Manufacturing precision

If loading of articles on trucks takes a lot of time, then thorough loading can be achieved, but if delivery is delayed and articles are unloaded after loading is completed, then further time and money are wasted

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveloading completenessVSAvoiddelivery delay time waste

Core Design Contradiction:

Manufacturing precisionVSLoss of time

Solution Approach 1:

Articles are pre-grouped on bases and pre-stored in racks at the delivery location before the trailer arrives. This preliminary action ensures that loading is already complete and organized when delivery begins, eliminating delays and preventing unnecessary unloading of fully loaded trailers, thus saving time and money.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #10Preliminary action

Solution Approach 2:

The bases and racks act as intermediary storage platforms between the warehouse and the trailer. Articles are prepared on these intermediaries in advance, allowing rapid transfer to trailers without time-consuming loading operations, thereby preventing delivery delays and associated costs.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

4Productivity

If loading of articles requires a combination of manual and mechanical work at a height, then loading can be accomplished, but this results in damage to the goods and adds a high risk of employees being injured

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveloading accomplishmentVSAvoidgoods damage and employee injury risk

Core Design Contradiction:

ProductivityVSObject-affected harmful factors

Solution Approach 1:

The system uses ground-level racks and bases for article preparation, eliminating the need to work at height. Articles are grouped and stored at ground level, then transferred to trailers using mechanical equipment, maintaining loading productivity while removing the hazards associated with working at height.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #12Equipotentiality

Solution Approach 2:

Manual handling at height is replaced by ground-level mechanical operations. Forklifts and other mechanical equipment transfer articles from ground-level racks to trailers, maintaining loading productivity while eliminating the need for workers to operate at hazardous heights.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #28Mechanics substitution (Replace mechanical system)

Data Source

PatentUS10569811B2Modular transportation and storage system

Publication Date: 2020.02.25 ROADPOD IP PTY LTD

AI summary

The present invention relates to an improved truck and tray assembly and system for storing and transporting light weight building material such as timber and hardware.