Rotatable Hinge Panel for Shipping Box Lid Opening
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing shipping containers are often oversized to accommodate display packaging with rotating lids, leading to increased costs and material usage, as they need to accommodate the lid's movement without contacting the packaging, which is inefficient in terms of volume and material usage.
Innovation Solution
A shipping box design featuring a rotatable panel associated with the lid, allowing the hinge to be displaced outward, enabling the display box to be opened within the shipping box without increasing the box's size, by using hinge tabs and a hinge panel that rotate, reducing the overall volume and material requirements.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If the shipping box is oversized to accommodate display packaging with rotating lids, then the display box can be opened without contacting the shipping package, but the shipping container volume increases
Solution Approach 1:
The lid of the display box is divided into a stationary base portion and a rotatable panel portion. The hinge mechanism is segmented into a fixed hinge attached to the base and a rotatable hinge panel that rotates independently. This segmentation allows the rotatable panel to provide opening capability while the stationary base maintains compact volume.
Solution Approach 2:
The hinge mechanism is extended in the depth dimension by adding a rotatable hinge panel that rotates about an axis perpendicular to the lid opening direction. This dimensional extension allows the hinge to be displaced outward without increasing the front-to-back depth of the shipping box, enabling lid rotation within the same volume envelope.
2Ease of operation
If the shipping box is oversized to accommodate lid movement space, then the display packaging can be opened to view the product, but the shipping container material cost increases
Solution Approach 1:
The viewing function is achieved through the rotatable panel mechanism rather than through increased box volume. The panel can be rotated to various angles including a horizontal position that provides product viewing capability, eliminating the need for oversized box construction.
Solution Approach 2:
The hinge mechanism parameters are changed by introducing a rotatable panel with rotational degrees of freedom. This allows the lid to achieve multiple positions (closed, partially open, fully open for viewing) without requiring the shipping box to have increased internal volume, thus reducing material usage.
3Ease of operation
If the hinge is displaced outward to allow lid rotation, then the display box can be opened within the shipping box, but the shipping box structure becomes more complex
Solution Approach 1:
The hinge mechanism is segmented into modular components: a fixed hinge attached to the lid base, a rotatable hinge panel with hinge tabs, and connection elements. This segmentation allows each component to perform a specific function and simplifies the overall assembly and manufacturing process despite the increased functionality.
Solution Approach 2:
Instead of attaching the hinge directly to the shipping box and having the lid rotate about that fixed point, the invention inverts the approach by attaching the hinge to the lid itself and allowing the hinge panel to rotate. This inversion simplifies the connection between lid and shipping box while enabling the desired rotation capability.
Data Source
AI summary
A shipping box is disclosed having a rotatable panel associated with the lid. The rotatable panel allows the hinge of the shipping box to be displaced outwardly from the box. As a result, the shipping box can contain a display box that can be opened while in the shipping box, without increasing the size of the shipping box.