Reconfigurable Transport Case for Folding Bicycle
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional transport cases for folding bicycles are cumbersome and bulky, making it difficult to transport them when the bicycle is unfolded, and they do not efficiently accommodate the transport case itself when the bicycle is not inside.
Innovation Solution
A transport case with a base and a first wall element that can be connected via two different connection devices, allowing the volume to change between a larger and smaller state, enabling easy transportation of the bicycle and the case separately, with features like positive-locking elements, hinges, and a rucksack configuration.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If the transport case has a rigid or stiff body with a flap or closable opening, then the folding bicycle can be securely transported in the case, but the transport case becomes cumbersome and bulky, making it difficult to transport on the unfolded folding bicycle
Solution Approach 1:
The transport case employs dynamic wall elements that can change their configuration between a first state (providing large volume for secure bicycle transport) and a second state (reducing volume for easy carriage on the bicycle). The wall elements are connected via hinges and connection devices, allowing the case to adapt its shape and size based on operational needs, thus resolving the contradiction between security and ease of transport.
Solution Approach 2:
The transport case is divided into a base and multiple separable wall elements (first wall element, second wall element, third wall element) that can be independently positioned and connected. This segmentation allows the case to be reconfigured from a closed box shape to an open carrier shape, enabling both secure enclosure during transport and easy attachment to the bicycle frame.
2Volume of stationary object
If the transport case has a large volume to accommodate the folded folding bicycle, then the bicycle can be transported safely, but the transport case itself becomes too large to be efficiently transported when the bicycle is not inside
Solution Approach 1:
The transport case features dynamically reconfigurable wall elements that enable volume transformation. In the first state, the wall elements form a closed box with large interior volume to accommodate the folded bicycle. In the second state, the wall elements are repositioned to reduce the overall volume, making the empty case compact and easy to carry on the bicycle or as a rucksack.
Solution Approach 2:
The wall elements are designed to move in multiple dimensions, transitioning from a closed three-dimensional box structure to a more compact configuration. The hinges and connection devices enable the walls to fold, collapse, or reposition, effectively changing the case's dimensional footprint when the bicycle is removed, thus resolving the volume contradiction.
3Object-affected harmful factors
If the first wall element is fixed to form a closed transport case, then the folding bicycle is protected from dirt and damage, but the transport case cannot be easily carried on the bicycle or used as a rucksack
Solution Approach 1:
The transport case transitions from a static closed box to a dynamic reconfigurable structure. The wall elements can be fixed in a closed position to protect the bicycle from dirt and damage during transport, or repositioned to an open configuration that enables the case to be carried on the bicycle or used as a rucksack, thus achieving both protection and versatility.
Solution Approach 2:
The transport case is designed with multi-functionality through its reconfigurable wall elements. It can serve as a protective enclosed container for the folded bicycle, an open carrier attached to the bicycle frame, or a standalone rucksack for carrying other items. This universality resolves the contradiction between protection and adaptability by enabling the same structure to fulfill multiple functions.
Data Source
AI summary
A transport case for a folding bicycle has a base with a first wall element connected along an edge. A connection device can be used to fix the first wall element to an element of the transport case to produce an interior of a first volume. Another connection device can be used to fix the first wall element to an element of the transport case to produce an interior of a second volume. The first volume is bigger than the second volume.