Retractable Wall Collapsible Container for Direct Item Access
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current grocery storage methods require labor-intensive unloading and repositioning of items from shipping containers onto store shelves, increasing operational costs and inefficiency.
Innovation Solution
The development of collapsible containers with retractable front walls allows for direct access to items within the container without unloading, enabling stacked containers to be placed on the floor or in refrigerated areas for easy consumer retrieval.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of manufacture
If grocery items are shipped in metal crates or cardboard boxes and placed on shelves, then items are protected during shipping, but labor is required to unload and reposition items in the store
Solution Approach 1:
The front wall of the container is designed to be retractable rather than fixed, allowing it to move between a closed position (for shipping protection) and a retracted position (for easy access). This dynamic feature eliminates the need to unload items while maintaining protection during transport.
Solution Approach 2:
The container serves multiple functions: it provides shipping protection when the front wall is closed, and it enables direct customer access when the front wall is retracted. This multi-functionality eliminates the need for separate shipping containers and display shelving.
2Strength
If containers are designed with fixed walls for structural integrity, then containers maintain strength during shipping, but access to items requires unloading containers
Solution Approach 1:
The container is segmented into a fixed base structure and a movable front wall. The fixed base maintains structural integrity during shipping, while the segmented front wall can be independently retracted to enable access without compromising the overall container strength.
3Ease of operation
If traditional shelving is used to display items, then items are easily accessible to customers, but significant labor is required to stock and maintain shelves
Solution Approach 1:
The retractable front wall enables customers to directly access items in the container without staff intervention for unloading or shelf restocking. The container essentially serves itself by maintaining its own display function while allowing customer access.
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
This solution reduces labor costs and enhances operational efficiency by allowing consumers to retrieve items directly from the containers, streamlining the storage and retrieval process.
Implementation Method 1
An upper beam is slidably coupled to the vertical portions and movable between a first position away from the lower horizontal portion of the frame and a second position proximate the lower horizontal portion of the frame
Data Source
AI summary
In multiple embodiments, a collapsible container includes a base and a plurality of walls pivotably connected to edges of the base and collapsible onto the base. The plurality of walls include a retractable first wall. The first wall includes a frame having a lower horizontal portion and a pair of upstanding vertical portions extending upward from the lower horizontal portion to define an access opening therebetween. An upper beam is slidably coupled to the vertical portions and movable between a first position away from the lower horizontal portion of the frame and a second position proximate the lower horizontal portion of the frame. In some embodiments, the first wall includes a mid-beam coupled to the upper beam. The mid-beam is spaced away from the upper beam and spaced away from the lower horizontal portion of the frame when the upper beam is in the first position.