Stacking Ring Design for Box-Free Chair Base Shipping
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
The existing method of shipping chair bases in cardboard boxes is inefficient due to excessive space usage, added weight, and waste generation, while providing inadequate protection against damage.
Innovation Solution
A modified chair base design with a hub and radial arms, allowing for stacking without boxes, using flexible material wrapping and optional stacking rings to secure multiple bases together, and pallet configurations for stable transport.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If chair bases are shipped in cardboard boxes, then the bases are protected from damage, but the boxes add unnecessary weight and waste to the shipment
Solution Approach 1:
The patent removes the cardboard box from the shipping system entirely. Instead of placing chair bases inside boxes for protection, the chair bases themselves are designed with integrated protective features (stacking rings and hub configurations) that eliminate the need for external packaging, thereby eliminating waste while maintaining protection.
Solution Approach 2:
The chair bases provide their own protection through self-contained structural features. The stacking rings and hub designs are integral parts of the chair bases that protect them during shipping without requiring external protective materials, making the protection system self-sufficient and waste-free.
2Reliability
If chair bases are shipped in cardboard boxes, then the bases are protected from damage, but the boxes add extra weight to the shipment
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts and eliminates the cardboard box component from the shipping system. The protective function previously provided by the box is transferred to integral structural features of the chair base itself (stacking rings and hub configurations), removing the unnecessary weight of external packaging.
Solution Approach 2:
The chair bases are designed to protect themselves through built-in structural elements rather than relying on external protective packaging. This self-service approach eliminates the weight of boxes while maintaining protection during shipping.
3Reliability
If chair bases are shipped in cardboard boxes, then the bases are protected from damage, but there is excessive empty space within the boxes
Solution Approach 1:
The patent merges the protective function with the chair base structure itself. The stacking rings and hub configurations are combined with the chair base design, eliminating the need for separate protective boxes and reducing empty space by making the protective elements integral to the object being protected.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent removes the cardboard box from the system entirely. The protective function that was previously provided by the box is extracted and implemented through the chair base's own structural features, eliminating the volume waste associated with rectangular boxes containing irregularly shaped objects.
4Loss of substance
If chair bases are stacked directly without boxes, then waste and weight are reduced, but the bases may shift and fall over during transport
Solution Approach 1:
The chair bases provide their own stabilization through built-in stacking rings and hub configurations. These integral structural features enable the bases to stack securely and remain stable during transport without requiring external boxes, making the stabilization system self-contained and waste-free.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent implements a nesting configuration where chair bases stack vertically with the stacking rings fitting into the hub structures. This nested arrangement creates a stable, interlocked stack that prevents shifting and falling during transport, eliminating the need for external boxes while maintaining stability.
Data Source
AI summary
A stacking ring for a chair base may be disposable between a first and second chair base such that the stacking ring generally prevents lateral movement of the first chair base relative to the second chair base. The stacking ring may be integrally formed to the chair base, or separate and disposable between at least two chair bases. The stacking ring may substantially prevent rotation of a first chair base relative to a second chair base.