Movable Frame Unit Stacking Design for Freight Volume Reduction
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing frame units for devices like shopping carts and luggage trolleys are not stacked efficiently, leading to high freight volumes and increased transportation costs, and lack sufficient space for storing goods.
Innovation Solution
The frame units are designed with a centrally bent front strut assembly that allows for closer stacking, enabling the rear and front castors to almost touch when stacked, and include additional support parts to enhance storage capacity and stability.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Volume of moving object
If the frame units are designed with conventional straight longitudinal members and strut assemblies, then the structural simplicity and ease of manufacture are maintained, but the stacking efficiency is poor and freight volume is high
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies curvature by bending the front strut assembly into an L-shape configuration, where the first portion extends downward from the longitudinal member and the second portion connects to the caster assembly horizontally. This curved/L-shaped design allows the front castor to be positioned closer to the rear castors, enabling tighter stacking of frame units during transport and thereby reducing the overall freight volume.
2Quantity of substance
If the longitudinal members are arranged parallel to each other, then the manufacturing and assembly are simplified, but the storage capacity for bulky goods is insufficient
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces asymmetry in the longitudinal member configuration by adding intermediate sections that extend laterally between the two main longitudinal members. These intermediate sections create additional storage space for bulky goods while maintaining the basic parallel arrangement of the primary longitudinal members, thus increasing storage capacity without significantly complicating the overall structure.
3Productivity
If the castors are positioned at the standard locations on the longitudinal members, then the mobility and stability are adequate, but the stacking efficiency is poor
Solution Approach 1:
The patent repositions the castors by extending the front strut assembly in a different spatial dimension - the second portion of the front strut extends horizontally perpendicular to the longitudinal member rather than continuing straight down. This dimensional change allows the front castor to be positioned closer to the rear castors in the horizontal plane, improving stacking efficiency while maintaining mobility and stability through proper caster placement.
Data Source
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AI summary
The invention relates to a movable frame unit (1) for devices (16) such as shopping carts, transport carriages, shelves, and the like. The frame unit can be inserted into another identical frame unit (1) in a space-saving manner and has two longitudinal members (7) which are kept at a distance from each other and each of which has a starting portion (10) that begins from the rear face (2) and is oriented upwards, a support portion (11) that leads from top to bottom, an intermediate portion (12) that is oriented and ascends towards the front face (3) of the frame unit (1), and a terminating portion (13) that ends at the front face (3). A rear castor (14) is arranged at the free end (10a) of each starting portion (10), and a front castor (15) is arranged at the free end (13a) of each terminating portion (13). Furthermore, the spacing of the free ends (13a) of the terminating portions (13) and the free ends (10a) of the starting portions (10) are selected such that the track width of the front castors (15) is narrower than the track width of the rear castors (14), and the longitudinal members (7) are connected by a front and a rear bracing arrangement (19, 19a).