Modular structure for cardboard tower-like displays
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Solution Overview
Problem
Modular cardboard displays lack mechanical resistance and stability, making them unsuitable for effective product display while also being inefficient for handling, storage, and transportation.
Innovation Solution
A modular cardboard tower-like display structure composed of die-cut cardboard sheets forming double supporting walls and perimeter edges with hubs, combined with stud modules and connecting elements, providing rigidity and ease of assembly/disassembly.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If modular cardboard boxes are designed for handling, storing and transport, then ease of operation is improved, but mechanical resistance and stability deteriorate
Solution Approach 1:
The display structure is divided into modular components (shelves, columns, connecting elements) that can be independently handled, stored and transported. Each module is designed to be compact when disassembled yet forms a stable structure when assembled, resolving the contradiction between ease of operation and mechanical strength.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent uses cardboard combined with plastic connecting elements (hubs and studs) to create a composite structure. The cardboard provides the shelf surfaces and basic structure, while the plastic connectors add mechanical strength and stability at the joints, allowing the display to be both easy to assemble/disassemble and mechanically robust when assembled.
2Ease of manufacture
If modular cardboard displays are made with simple construction, then ease of manufacture is improved, but mechanical resistance deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The display is manufactured as separate modular components using simple die-cut cardboard sheets and basic plastic connectors. This segmentation allows each part to be easily manufactured independently while the assembled structure achieves the required mechanical resistance through the interlocking of multiple components.
Solution Approach 2:
Plastic connecting elements (hubs and studs) serve as intermediaries between cardboard components. These connectors are simple to manufacture but provide the mechanical strength needed at joint locations, allowing the overall structure to achieve high mechanical resistance while maintaining ease of manufacture for each individual component.
3Device complexity
If cardboard sheets are folded to form shelves, then device complexity is reduced, but mechanical resistance and stability worsen
Solution Approach 1:
The shelf structure is segmented into a folded cardboard base and separate reinforcing elements (double supporting walls and perimeter edges). This segmentation allows the basic folded structure to maintain low complexity while the added segments provide the necessary mechanical strength and stability.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent combines folded cardboard with plastic perimeter edges and connecting hubs to create a composite shelf structure. The folded cardboard provides the basic form with low complexity, while the plastic components add mechanical resistance and stability at critical structural points.
Data Source
AI summary
The invention relates to a modular structure for a cardboard tower-like display, made up of shelf modules (a) each of which is made up of a cardboard sheet with a four-sided central area (10) whose corners form incoming vertexes (12) and whose sides are folding and flapping lines with respective flaps thereof; together with straight tubes which feature stud modules (b), with the same cross section than the perimeter tubular edges (11) of each shelf module (a), and connecting elements in the shape of corner studs (c), each of which has a central part (30) with arms (31), (32) and (33) projected into three orthogonal spatial directions which fit into the concurrent ends of the tubular edges (11) of each shelf module (a), and the ends corresponding to the tubes which constitute the stud modules (b).