Stackable Tray With Central Divider For Cross-Stacking
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing low depth trays for storing and transporting beverage containers, such as plastic bottles, lack efficient cross-stacking capabilities and structural rigidity, leading to instability and difficulty in handling and transportation.
Innovation Solution
A stackable tray design featuring a central lateral divider with spaced-apart divider walls and a center rib, hollow side and end columns, corner columns, and upper and lower bars that allow for cross-stacking and provide structural integrity, along with a handle formed by the flared end columns for easy carrying.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Length of moving object
If traditional low depth trays are used, then the tray depth is reduced for better accessibility, but the structural rigidity and stability deteriorate
Solution Approach 1:
The tray is divided into multiple functional components: a base, four vertical columns (corner, side, and end columns), crossbars connecting the columns, and a top rim structure. This segmentation allows each component to be optimized independently - the low depth is achieved in the vertical dimension while the segmented framework provides structural rigidity through distributed support.
Solution Approach 2:
The tray employs composite structural design combining multiple materials with different properties: the base provides foundational strength, the hollow columns provide rigidity with reduced weight, the crossbars add lateral stability, and the top rim provides edge support. This composite approach allows the tray to maintain low depth while achieving sufficient structural rigidity through material and structural composition.
2Length of moving object
If traditional low depth trays are used, then the tray depth is reduced for better accessibility, but the stacking stability deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The tray design incorporates nested structural elements where the crossbars are positioned within the framework formed by the columns and top rim. The hollow columns contain internal reinforcement structures. This nesting allows multiple structural functions to be integrated in a compact low-depth form while maintaining stacking stability through the interlocked framework.
Solution Approach 2:
The tray achieves stacking stability not through increased vertical depth but by developing strength in horizontal dimensions - the crossbars provide lateral bracing between columns, the top rim provides peripheral support, and the overall framework creates a rigid three-dimensional structure that resists deformation during stacking despite low vertical profile.
3Adaptability or versatility
If the central lateral divider width is increased to permit cross stacking, then the cross-stacking capability is improved, but the device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The central lateral divider is designed with a standardized width that serves multiple functions: it provides structural support for the tray contents, creates the necessary clearance for cross-stacking orientation, and forms part of the overall framework that enables both standard and cross-stacking configurations. This universal design allows the same structural element to fulfill multiple purposes without increasing complexity.
Solution Approach 2:
The divider width is optimized to a specific parameter range that simultaneously provides sufficient structural support and creates the clearance needed for cross-stacking. By carefully selecting this dimensional parameter, the design achieves cross-stacking capability without requiring additional complex mechanisms or structures - the parameter change alone enables the versatility.
4Strength
If hollow columns and bars are added to provide structural integrity, then the rigidity is improved, but the manufacturing complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The design merges multiple structural functions into integrated components: the hollow columns combine vertical support, lateral bracing, and weight reduction functions; the crossbars integrate both structural reinforcement and positioning functions; the top rim combines edge support and stacking interface functions. This merging reduces the total number of separate parts and simplifies manufacturing while achieving the required rigidity.
Solution Approach 2:
The hollow columns are designed as thin-walled structural elements that provide high rigidity-to-weight ratio. The hollow construction allows these thin-walled columns to achieve sufficient structural strength while using minimal material, simplifying manufacturing compared to solid sections. The thin-walled hollow structure is easier to form and assemble while providing the necessary rigidity.
Data Source
AI summary
A tray includes a base, a pair of opposed side walls extending along side edges of the base and a pair of opposed end walls extending along end edges of the base. A central lateral divider extends between the side walls. The central lateral divider has a width approximately twice a width of the side walls to permit cross stacking. The central lateral divider includes a pair of spaced-apart divider walls and at least one center rib between the divider walls.