Retractable Front Wall Crate Design

Resolve Bottlenecks,
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions

Solution Overview

Problem

Current metal crates used for transporting egg cartons are expensive, prone to damage, rust, and not recyclable, requiring labor for unloading and handling in stores.

Innovation Solution

A collapsible crate design with a movable front wall that can be retracted for easy access to contents, allowing for efficient storage and shipping, featuring a base and walls connected by hinges and latches, enabling the crate to be collapsed for reuse.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Ease of operation

If a movable front wall is added to enable easy access to contents, then customer access is improved, but device complexity increases

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvecustomer access to contentsVSAvoidcrate structure

Core Design Contradiction:

Ease of operationVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The front wall is divided into multiple hinged portions (first portion, second portion, and optionally third portion) that can move independently. This segmentation allows the front wall to be opened in stages while maintaining structural integrity, resolving the contradiction between ease of access and structural simplicity.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

The front wall transitions from a static structure to a dynamic one with hinged portions that can pivot between closed and open positions. This dynamic design enables easy customer access while the hinge mechanism maintains structural coherence, addressing both ease of operation and device complexity.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #15Dynamics

2Reliability

If the horizontal portion of the first portion is spaced vertically above the horizontal portion of the second portion when closed, then goods retention is improved, but the structure becomes more complex

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvegoods retentionVSAvoidwall structure

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The vertical spacing between horizontal portions creates a gravitational barrier that prevents goods from falling out when the front wall is closed. This passive retention mechanism uses gravity rather than active locking mechanisms, improving goods retention while avoiding additional structural complexity.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #12Equipotentiality

3Volume of moving object

If the crate is designed to be collapsible for efficient storage, then storage efficiency is improved, but manufacturing complexity increases

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvestorage space requirementVSAvoidcrate assembly

Core Design Contradiction:

Volume of moving objectVSEase of manufacture

Solution Approach 1:

The crate walls are divided into hinged segments that can fold flat during collapse. This segmentation allows the three-dimensional crate to be compressed into a two-dimensional flat state for efficient storage, while the hinge connections use simple metal hardware that is easy to manufacture and assemble.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

The crate transitions from a rigid three-dimensional structure to a flexible collapsible structure through hinged connections. This dynamic design enables efficient flat-state storage while the hinge mechanism maintains structural integrity during use, resolving the contradiction between storage efficiency and manufacturing simplicity.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #15Dynamics

Data Source

PatentUS11738937B2Crate with retractable wall

Publication Date: 2023.08.29 REHRIG PACIFIC CO INC

AI summary

A crate includes a base and a plurality of walls including a front wall. The front wall is movable between a retracted, open position and a closed position. In some embodiments, the front wall includes a frame, a first portion and a second portion. The first portion is hingeably connected to the frame and the second portion is hingeably connected to the first portion.