Stackable Firewood Carrier with Integrated Storage and Gripping Frames
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Solution Overview
Problem
The existing methods for carrying and storing firewood are inefficient, requiring multiple steps and manual labor to move firewood from storage racks to carrying baskets and then to heating systems.
Innovation Solution
A carrier for firewood that includes a placing frame, posts, gripping frames, and inserting portions, allowing for vertical connection and stacking with other carriers, thus serving as a multi-tiered storage and carrying solution.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Productivity
If firewood is carried using a traditional basket, then the firewood can be transported, but multiple manual transfer steps are required between storage rack, basket, and heating system
Solution Approach 1:
The patent combines the storage rack and carrying basket into a single integrated carrier structure. The carrier includes a placing frame with left-right frames for holding firewood, vertical post bodies for structural support, and gripping frames for carrying. This merging eliminates the need for separate storage racks and baskets, allowing firewood to be directly carried from the carrier to the heating system without intermediate transfers.
Solution Approach 2:
The carrier serves multiple functions: it acts as both a storage structure and a carrying device. The placing frame with left-right frames provides storage capacity, while the gripping frames and post bodies enable easy carrying. The universal design allows the same structure to fulfill both storage and transportation needs, eliminating the requirement for separate storage racks and baskets.
2Reliability
If firewood is stored in a separate storage rack, then firewood is readily available, but firewood must be repeatedly moved between storage rack and carrier
Solution Approach 1:
The patent merges the storage rack and carrier into a single integrated structure. The placing frame with left-right frames provides storage capacity while the same structure enables carrying. This eliminates the repeated transfer of firewood between separate storage racks and carriers, saving time and effort while maintaining firewood availability.
3Device complexity
If a simple basket is used for carrying firewood, then the structure is simple, but the basket cannot be stacked or formed into multi-tiered racks
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements a nesting design where carriers can be stacked vertically. The gripping frames of one carrier can be inserted into the placing frame of another carrier, allowing multiple carriers to be nested or stacked to form multi-tiered firewood racks. This nesting capability enables vertical stacking while maintaining structural simplicity.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent incorporates collapsible post bodies that can be folded or extended. The post bodies include folding members that allow the carrier to be collapsed for compact storage or extended for use. This dynamic design enables the carrier to adapt between a compact state for easy storage and an expanded state for carrying and stacking, providing versatility without permanent complexity.
4Ease of manufacture
If multiple separate devices are used for storage and carrying, then each device can be optimized for its specific function, but the overall system requires more handling steps
Solution Approach 1:
The patent combines the storage rack and carrying basket functions into a single carrier structure. The placing frame with left-right frames provides storage capability, while the gripping frames and post bodies provide carrying capability. This merging eliminates the need for separate optimized devices, allowing firewood to be directly carried from the carrier to the heating system without intermediate transfers, thereby improving handling efficiency.
Data Source
AI summary
A carrier C has a placing frame 1, left and right posts 2, left and right gripping frames 3, and inserting portions 4. The placing frame 1 has front and rear left-right frames 10 that extend in the left-right direction and on which firewood is to be placed. The left and right posts 2 each have front and rear post bodies 21 that are joined to the placing frame 1 and extend in the vertical direction. The left and right gripping frames 3 each are each being bridged between upper ends of the front and rear post bodies 21. The insertion portions 4 each are joined to the post 2, into which the gripping frame 3 of another carrier is inserted from below, thereby connecting the carriers C together vertically.