Molded Hinge Lugs for Bulk Bin Side Wall Installation
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing bulk bin containers require additional parts and labor for manufacturing due to separate hinge rods, which increase costs and complexity, and often necessitate specific collapsing orders for side walls, making installation and use less efficient.
Innovation Solution
The integration of molded hinge lugs on side walls that fit into corresponding slots on the base, allowing for a floating hinge connection without separate hinge rods, enabling side walls to be collapsed in any order and reducing manufacturing costs by eliminating the need for secondary installation operations.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of manufacture
If separate hinge rods are used to connect side walls to base, then the container can be formed with hinged connections, but additional parts and labor are required increasing manufacturing costs and complexity
Solution Approach 1:
The hinge mechanism is integrated directly into the side wall and base structures through molded-in hinge lugs and slots, eliminating the need for separate hinge rods. The side wall includes a hinge lug that fits into a corresponding slot in the base, creating a unified structure that reduces part count and assembly steps while maintaining the hinged connection functionality.
2Adaptability or versatility
If hinge slots of different lengths are used to provide float for each side wall, then each side wall can have customized float, but the side walls must be collapsed in a specific order reducing flexibility
Solution Approach 1:
All side walls are equipped with identical hinge lugs and corresponding slots in the base, creating a universal connection mechanism. This standardized design allows any side wall to be collapsed into any position regardless of the order of collapse, as each hinge assembly provides the same float capability and geometric constraints, eliminating the need for specific collapsing sequences.
3Device complexity
If cylindrical hinge elements are used to connect base and side wall, then the connection is simple, but it is difficult to provide float length in the hinge
Solution Approach 1:
The hinge connection is segmented into two functional components: a hinge lug on the side wall that provides the pivot point, and a hinge slot in the base that provides the float length. The slot extends along the hinge axis, allowing the hinge lug to move up and down within the slot, thereby providing float length while maintaining a simple overall structure.
Data Source
AI summary
A collapsible bin container having a base portion and side walls hingedly connected to the base portion. At least one of the side walls includes an integrally formed hinge lug having a first generally cylindrical portion and a second flat angled portion. The base portion includes a corresponding hinge slot having an opening configured to receive the hinge lug only when the side wall is positioned at a first angle with respect to a horizontal surface.