Stackable Container Support Structure for Bulk Produce
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current packaging solutions for bulk perishable and fragile goods, such as produce, often result in excessive packaging, damage during transport, and limited reusability, particularly for bulk customers like restaurants and markets.
Innovation Solution
A stackable container design featuring a bifurcated base with a support structure, including a pillar and tie, and registration features that allow for efficient stacking, reduced footprint, and improved rigidity, made from materials like PETE or HDPE, which can be reusable and reduce packaging needs.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Strength
If traditional packaging materials like corrugated cardboard and shrink wrap are used for bulk produce, then packaging is readily available and easy to manufacture, but packaging waste increases and structural integrity is insufficient to prevent damage during transport
Solution Approach 1:
The patent transitions from traditional cardboard and shrink wrap packaging to reusable rigid plastic containers made from materials like polypropylene or polyethylene. This parameter change in material type provides superior structural integrity while reducing packaging waste through reusability. The containers are designed to withstand stacking and transport forces without requiring additional protective packaging.
Solution Approach 2:
The invention implements a reusable container system that can be recovered and reused multiple times for bulk produce transport. Unlike single-use cardboard and shrink wrap, these containers are designed for repeated use, thereby reducing packaging waste while maintaining protective structural integrity throughout multiple transport cycles.
2Loss of substance
If produce is placed directly on pallets without proper containers, then packaging material is reduced, but goods are susceptible to damage and stacking is inefficient
Solution Approach 1:
The containers are designed with multiple functions: they protect produce from damage, enable efficient vertical stacking through interlocking features, and can be directly placed on pallets for transport. The standardized design allows them to serve as both protective packaging and stacking units, eliminating the need for separate protective measures while reducing overall packaging material.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent utilizes vertical stacking capability with interlocking container features that allow containers to be stacked directly on top of each other and on pallets. This three-dimensional stacking arrangement maximizes space utilization and provides protection through the container structure itself, eliminating the need for excessive horizontal packaging materials.
3Loss of substance
If reusable rigid containers are used instead of traditional packaging, then packaging waste is reduced and structural integrity is improved, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The container design incorporates segmented features such as interlocking elements, stacking rims, and modular components that enable efficient stacking and nesting. While these features increase structural complexity, they are designed to be integrated into the molded container body, minimizing the number of separate parts and assembly steps.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent combines multiple functions into a single container structure: protection, stacking, pallet placement, and transport all occur through one integrated design. The interlocking features and stacking mechanisms are built into the container itself rather than requiring separate components, thereby reducing overall system complexity despite the enhanced functionality.
Data Source
AI summary
A container for holding goods comprises a basket having a base and a sidewall, a lid mateable with the basket, and a support structure. The support structure includes a pillar extending between the base and the lid and a tie connected between the pillar and the sidewall.