Stacking Corner With Perforating Mandrel for Closed Cartons

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Solution Overview

Problem

Existing stacking corners are limited in their ability to securely stack closed cartons, as they require the carton to be open and lack efficient mechanisms for engaging with closed corners, leading to instability and potential damage.

Innovation Solution

The design incorporates a mandrel with a tip that can perforate the closure flap of a closed carton, allowing the stacking corner to be placed on closed corners, with contact flanks that slide along the carton's side walls and a support flank that allows for secure stacking of upper cartons, featuring a unique L-profile structure with a triangular web and optionally profiled mandrel surfaces.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Adaptability or versatility

If a fixing element protrudes into the interior of the carton to clip onto the upper edge, then the stacking corner can hold the lower carton in an open state, but it cannot securely engage with closed cartons

Engineering Contradiction:
ImproveAbility to stack both open and closed cartonsVSAvoidSecurity of stacking engagement
Core Design Contradiction:
Adaptability or versatilityVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

The stacking corner is divided into distinct functional elements: contact flanks for engaging side walls, a support flank for supporting the carton corner, and a mandrel with tip for perforating closure flaps. Each segment performs a specific function, allowing the device to adapt to different carton states (open or closed) while maintaining reliable engagement through the combination of these segmented components.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #1Segmentation

2Ease of manufacture

If the mandrel axial length is longer, then it can perforate through closure flaps more effectively, but the contact flanks cannot initially contact the side walls properly

Engineering Contradiction:
ImproveEffectiveness of perforation through closure flapsVSAvoidAlignment of contact flanks with side walls
Core Design Contradiction:
Ease of manufactureVSManufacturing precision

Solution Approach 1:

The contact flanks are designed to perform preliminary action by contacting the side walls first during the stacking process. This initial contact establishes proper alignment and positioning before the mandrel's tip engages to perforate the closure flaps. The shorter mandrel length ensures that this sequential action occurs correctly, with side wall contact preceding flap perforation.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #10Preliminary action

3Ease of operation

If the stacking corner requires the carton to be open for engagement, then the fixing element can clip onto the upper edge, but it creates instability and potential damage when attempting to stack closed cartons

Engineering Contradiction:
ImproveSimplicity of stacking mechanismVSAvoidInstability and potential damage to closed cartons
Core Design Contradiction:
Ease of operationVSObject-affected harmful factors

Solution Approach 1:

The stacking corner employs dynamic engagement mechanisms where the contact flanks slide along the side walls during downward displacement, and the mandrel tip dynamically perforates the closure flaps. This dynamic action allows the device to adapt to closed cartons without requiring them to be opened, maintaining ease of operation while eliminating instability and potential damage through proper sequential engagement.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #15Dynamics

Data Source

PatentEP3241775B1Stacking corner
Publication Date: 2018.11.28 WOLFCRAFT GMBH
  • EP3241775B1 patent drawingFigure 1~5
  • EP3241775B1 patent drawingFigure 6~7
  • EP3241775B1 patent drawingFigure 8

AI summary

The invention relates to a stacking corner (1) with a lower corner recess (4) formed by two lower contact flanks (2) arranged at right angles to each other and a support flank (3) extending transversely thereto, for placing on a corner (14) of a lower carton (13), a fixing element extending from the support flank (3), and an upper corner recess (7) formed by two upper contact flanks (5) aligned with the lower contact flanks (2) and a support flank (6) extending away from the support flank (3), for receiving a corner of an upper carton (15) that can be stacked on top of the lower carton (13). Since the fixing element is a pin (8) with a point (9) that can be inserted through a closing flap (16) of the lower carton (13), even closed cartons can be stacked on top of each other.