Stackable Plastic Overpack with Reinforced Ribs
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing overpacks for storing and handling drums of 200 to 500 litres of liquids, such as detergents or chemicals, face challenges in being stackable, cost-effective, and meeting safety standards, with current solutions either not being stackable or excessively expensive due to material constraints.
Innovation Solution
A stackable overpack design made of plastic with a removable lid, reinforcement ribs for vertical rigidity, and integrated spill containment, allowing for efficient storage and transportation, along with features like rain drains, cleaning openings, and handling recesses for easy manipulation and compliance with safety regulations.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If the overpack is made of plastic with a curved lid for spill containment, then the containment function is improved, but the stackability is lost
Solution Approach 1:
The overpack is divided into a base portion and a lid portion that can be separately assembled. The lid is designed to attach to the base in a way that creates a flat top surface when assembled, enabling stackability while maintaining the spill containment function through the integrated design of the lid and base connection.
2Ease of operation
If the drum projects out of the overpack for easy access, then the ease of operation is improved, but the stackability is reduced
Solution Approach 1:
The drum is designed to nest within the overpack with its top surface flush with or slightly below the overpack opening. The drum's diameter and height are controlled to ensure it fits within the overpack's internal dimensions, allowing the overpack to maintain a uniform external shape that enables stable stacking while still providing easy access to the drum contents through the opening.
3Reliability
If high strength materials like steel are used for safety standards, then the reliability is improved, but the manufacturing cost increases
Solution Approach 1:
The overpack utilizes composite construction combining plastic materials with integrated reinforcement features. The base portion includes built-in structural elements and ribs that provide the necessary strength and rigidity to meet safety standards for handling and stacking, while avoiding the need for expensive steel materials. The design achieves high strength-to-weight ratio through optimized plastic formulation and geometric reinforcement.
Data Source
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AI summary
The invention relates to an overpack (1) for storage and handling of containers for liquids, preferably for drums (2) with volumes of 200 to 500 litres, wherein the overpack (1) is integrally formed of plastics and stackable. The invention further relates to a system (9) for storage and handling of containers for liquids comprising an overpack (1) according to the invention and a container located inside the overpack (1).