Preassembled Display With Automatic Stackable Supports
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing corrugated box designs require manual insertion of supports for stackability, leading to inefficiencies in production, increased costs, and incompatibility with standard case erecting equipment, and often result in bulky corners that hinder flat folding and reliable automatic erection.
Innovation Solution
A preassembled display with automatic stackable supports is created using a single insert blank that automatically forms corner posts when the outer blank is erected, eliminating the need for manual support insertion and utilizing existing case erecting equipment, with asymmetric corner designs for improved stackability and flat folding.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Stability of the object's composition
If manual insertion of supports is used to achieve stackability, then stackability is improved, but production efficiency deteriorates and labor costs increase
Solution Approach 1:
The support structures are pre-formed as integral parts of the blank during manufacturing, with fold lines and slots pre-configured. When the blank is erected, these supports automatically assume their functional positions without requiring manual insertion, thereby maintaining stackability while eliminating manual labor and improving production efficiency
Solution Approach 2:
The blank is designed to automatically form and position its own support structures during the erection process. The interplay between fold lines, slots, and panel geometry enables the supports to self-assemble into the correct configuration, eliminating the need for external manual intervention and reducing labor costs while maintaining structural stability
2Stability of the object's composition
If manual insertion of supports is used, then stackability is achieved, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The support structures are merged with the main blank body, forming an integrated design where supports are not separate components but integral parts of the blank. This unification simplifies the production process by eliminating separate insertion steps and reducing the number of discrete parts, while still achieving the desired stackability
3Ease of manufacture
If standard case erecting equipment is used, then production cost is reduced, but the ability to create stackable supports deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The blank is engineered to automatically form stackable supports through its own geometry and folding mechanics during the erection process. Standard case erecting equipment simply provides the forcing motion needed to initiate folding, after which the blank's internal geometry guides the supports into their final positions, maintaining both cost-effectiveness and stackability
Solution Approach 2:
The design utilizes changes in panel angles and configurations during erection to transform the flat blank into a three-dimensional structure with automatic support formation. By carefully designing fold line positions and panel dimensions, the blank transitions through intermediate states that naturally position the supports, enabling standard equipment to achieve complex stackable configurations
4Stability of the object's composition
If asymmetric corner designs are used, then stackability is improved, but manufacturing precision requirements increase
Solution Approach 1:
Asymmetric corner designs are implemented to optimize stackability by creating interlocking geometries that prevent lateral shifting when boxes are stacked. The asymmetric fold lines and panel configurations at corners create natural engagement features that enhance stacking stability, with precision requirements managed through standardized manufacturing processes
Data Source
AI summary
A method of making a preassembled display with automatic stackable supports (PDASS) is described. A PDASS may include two or more blanks (for example pieces of corrugated paperboard) that are joined together, for example to initially form a knocked down flat (KDF). The PDASS may include an insert formed from a single blank, where the single insert blank, when the whole display is erected, automatically erects and provides asymmetric supports that form at opposing corners of the outer blank.