Portable Container Assembly With Tray and Sealing Lid Organization
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional plastic five-gallon buckets lack versatility for applications requiring more than mere portability, as they do not provide adequate support or organization for carrying and storing various goods and supplies effectively.
Innovation Solution
A portable container assembly featuring a container with a flexible pad and ribs, a handle assembly with overmolded connection members, a removable tray with collapsible handle, and a sealing lid with internal reinforcing members, designed to enhance portability, support, and organization through a combination of flexible materials and modular components.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If a conventional plastic bucket is used, then portability is achieved, but support and organization for carrying and storing goods are insufficient
Solution Approach 1:
The container is divided into multiple functional components: a base portion, a bucket portion, a removable tray, and a lid. Each component serves specific functions that collectively provide both portability and organizational support, resolving the contradiction between simple portability and comprehensive support capability.
Solution Approach 2:
The container assembly is designed to perform multiple functions: the base portion provides structural support and stability, the bucket portion provides storage volume, the removable tray provides organization and separation of items, and the lid provides protection. This multi-functionality addresses the versatility deficiency of conventional buckets while maintaining portability.
2Adaptability or versatility
If the container includes multiple components for enhanced support and organization, then versatility is improved, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
Multiple components are merged into an integrated assembly where the base portion and bucket portion form a unified structural unit, the tray is designed to fit within the bucket portion, and the lid is configured to seal both the bucket and tray openings. This merging reduces the practical complexity of handling multiple separate items while maintaining the versatility benefits.
Solution Approach 2:
The removable tray is nested within the bucket portion, and the lid is designed to cover both the bucket opening and the tray opening when the tray is in place. This nesting arrangement allows multiple functional components to occupy the same spatial envelope, reducing overall complexity and improving portability despite the increased versatility.
Data Source
AI summary
A portable container and container assembly provides a durable, functional and simple carry-all solution for dry and wet provisions, goods and gear. Exemplary features of various embodiments include one or more of an overmolded pad on the bottom of the container, a removable handle incorporating a releasable retaining structure, a lid that seals within the container cavity and is flush with the outer periphery of the container sidewall and/or has a cellular internal reinforcing structure, a skirt extending around the sidewall that is integral with handle mounts for the handle and/or provides a connection point for external components, and a drop-in tray with a collapsible handle.