Movable Opening Wall Crate Design for Side Access

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Solution Overview

Problem

Existing transport crates have rigid side walls that make it difficult to access goods, especially when stacked, as access from above is not possible and rearrangement in retail settings is cumbersome, leading to handling and logistical issues.

Innovation Solution

A crate design with a movable opening wall that can partially or fully open, remaining connected to the crate, allowing access without needing to access from above, while maintaining stability and stackability, and enabling flexible use and storage.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Strength

If rigid side walls are used to maintain crate stability and structure, then the crate structural strength is improved, but the ease of access to goods deteriorates

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvecrate structural strengthVSAvoidease of access to goods
Core Design Contradiction:
StrengthVSEase of operation

Solution Approach 1:

One of the side walls is designed as a movable opening wall that can be frictionally connected to the floor and adjacent side walls, allowing it to be easily opened or closed. This dynamic design enables easy access to goods while maintaining structural integrity when closed, resolving the contradiction between rigid structure and ease of access.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #15Dynamics

2Quantity of substance

If the crate is stacked to save storage space, then the storage efficiency is improved, but the ease of operation deteriorates because access from above is not possible

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvestorage efficiencyVSAvoidease of access to goods
Core Design Contradiction:
Quantity of substanceVSEase of operation

Solution Approach 1:

The side wall is segmented into a movable opening wall that can be independently opened, allowing access to goods from the side even when the crate is stacked. This segmentation enables the crate to maintain its stacked configuration for space efficiency while providing side access capability that overrides the stacking limitation.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #1Segmentation

3Ease of operation

If the opening wall is completely separated from the crate when opened, then the ease of operation is improved, but the device complexity increases due to logistical and handling problems

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveease of openingVSAvoidhandling complexity
Core Design Contradiction:
Ease of operationVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The opening wall is designed to remain nested or connected to the crate structure even when opened, rather than being completely separated. This nesting approach allows the opening wall to be easily operated while avoiding the logistical and handling problems that would arise from complete separation, thus reducing overall system complexity.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #7Nested doll (Nesting)

Applied Scientific Principles

This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.

Function Achieved in This Case

The design enhances flexibility in loading and unloading goods, allows easy access to products without rearranging the crate, and maintains stability and stackability, reducing handling difficulties and logistical issues.

Implementation Method 1

In a closed state, the opening wall is frictionally connected both to the floor and to the adjacent side walls

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectFriction: Friction

Data Source

PatentEP2477902B1Flexibly usable box
Publication Date: 2013.12.04 IFCO SYST GMBH
  • EP2477902B1 patent drawingFigure 1
  • EP2477902B1 patent drawingFigure 2
  • EP2477902B1 patent drawingFigure 3

AI summary

The invention relates to a flexibly usable box (10), comprising a base (12) and four side walls (14a, 14b, 14c, 14d), which lie opposite each other in pairs and which extend upward from the base (2) in a vertical direction (16). One of the four side walls (14a-14d) is designed as an opening wall (14d), which in a closed state fully covers a side area and which can be moved into an open state, in which the opening wall (14d) covers only a part of the side area, such that in the open state the opening wall (14d) at least partially overlaps with one of the adjacent side walls (14a, 14c) or with the base (12) of the box.