Reusable Plastic Produce Container with 6-Down Footprint
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current packaging methods for bananas, such as corrugated cardboard boxes and conventional reusable plastic containers, face issues like high costs, environmental impact, damage during transit, load instability, and difficulty in controlling temperature and atmosphere, leading to suboptimal fruit quality and reduced efficiency in shipping and storage.
Innovation Solution
The development of novel plastic shipping containers with a 6-down footprint arrangement, enhanced ventilation, and a unique design that allows for easier stacking and sampling, featuring a three-line configuration of bananas, increased interior volume, and a collapsible structure for efficient use and reuse.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of manufacture
If corrugated cardboard boxes are used for packaging bananas, then the boxes can be easily manufactured and disposed of, but the environmental impact increases and costs rise due to single-use disposal
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements a reusable plastic container system that replaces single-use corrugated boxes. The containers are designed to be collected, cleaned, and reused multiple times in the supply chain, thereby recovering and reutilizing the packaging material instead of discarding it after single use, which reduces environmental impact while maintaining manufacturing efficiency
2Quantity of substance
If corrugated boxes are packed with 41.5 lbs of green fruit, then the net weight specification is met, but the container load approaches both weight limit and cubic space limit
Solution Approach 1:
The patent changes the packaging parameters by using lighter-weight reusable plastic containers with optimized dimensions. The new container design allows for adjusted fruit packing parameters that maintain the required net weight specification while reducing the overall container load weight and optimizing cubic space utilization in the refrigerated container
3Quantity of substance
If bananas are packed in 4 lines or rows with crowns and inner whirl down, then the net weight specification is met, but the height of the fruit exceeds the height of the box causing high pack damage
Solution Approach 1:
The patent transitions from a traditional 4-line packing arrangement to a 3-line configuration within the reusable plastic container. This dimensional reorganization of the packing layout, combined with the container's optimized height specification, accommodates the banana clusters more effectively and prevents high pack damage while maintaining the required net weight
4Strength
If telescoping lid is used to facilitate high pack, then stacking strength is improved, but the stacking load is transferred directly through the bananas causing damage
Solution Approach 1:
The patent specifies an optimized container height parameter that eliminates the need for telescoping lids to accommodate high pack. The container is designed with sufficient internal height to contain the 3-line banana arrangement without exceeding the box walls, thereby preventing direct transfer of stacking load through the bananas while maintaining adequate stacking strength
5Duration of action of stationary object
If conventional RPCs with 5-down footprint are used, then the containers can be reused, but the ventilation is insufficient making it difficult to control atmosphere around bananas
Solution Approach 1:
The reusable plastic container is designed with integrated ventilation features including porous walls and bottom that provide enhanced airflow throughout the container. This porous structure enables effective atmosphere control around the bananas during ripening and storage, addressing the ventilation insufficiency of conventional RPCs while maintaining reusability
6Strength
If rigid RPC walls are used, then container strength is improved, but damage to bananas occurs due to lack of flexibility
Solution Approach 1:
The patent employs flexible plastic material for the container walls that provides both structural strength and compliance. The flexible shell design allows the container to adapt to the organic shape of the banana clusters, preventing damage from rigid contact while maintaining sufficient strength for stacking and handling in the supply chain
Data Source
AI summary
A collapsible, reusable plastic container that can be used for the storage and transportation of produce, having dimensions optimized for such storage and transportation and for folding down of the container. The container may also have a novel footprint for “six-down” stacking. The container may also be designed to provide increased ventilation to its contents during storage and transport. The container may also have a sample door with a clip for easy access to the produce contained in the container when it is stacked among other containers. The container may also have a latch system to secure its endwalls and sidewalls in an erected configuration during storage and transport. The container may also have lead-in in its dimensions to facilitate stacking and de-stacking of containers.