Storage Container Centering Strips Torsion Reduction
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Solution Overview
Problem
Storage containers experience torsion-related issues when the housing cover is operated, leading to distortions and difficulties in the closing process, especially when placed on uneven surfaces or asymmetrically loaded with heavy objects.
Innovation Solution
The use of centering strips with a decreasing width from the back to the front of the container housing, and downwardly projecting centering mandrels on the housing lid, which support the housing cover during closure, ensuring a reliable and torsion-independent closing process by exerting transverse forces on the side walls to achieve precise alignment.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If the housing lid is made pivotable to enable easy opening and closing, then ease of operation is improved, but torsion-related distortions occur during the closing process
Solution Approach 1:
The centering strips are pre-positioned on the housing lid and the centering recesses are pre-formed in the housing base. Before the closing operation completes, these centering elements guide the lid into proper alignment, preventing torsional distortions from affecting the closing reliability. The preliminary positioning action ensures that even if torsion occurs during opening, the closing process is guided correctly.
Solution Approach 2:
The centering strips act as intermediary elements between the housing lid and the housing base. During the closing operation, these strips engage with the centering recesses to mediate the alignment process, transferring the closing force in a controlled manner that prevents torsional distortions from compromising the closing reliability.
2Weight of moving object
If the wall thickness is reduced to decrease weight, then weight is reduced, but structural rigidity and resistance to torsion decrease
Solution Approach 1:
The housing structure is segmented into functional zones: the centering strips and centering recesses create discrete alignment points that provide localized structural support during closing operations. This segmentation allows the walls to be thinner overall while maintaining rigidity at critical locations where the centering elements engage.
Solution Approach 2:
The housing base features locally reinforced areas in the form of centering recesses positioned at specific locations. These recesses provide concentrated structural support exactly where needed during the closing operation, allowing the remainder of the housing walls to be made thinner and lighter without compromising overall structural rigidity.
3Adaptability or versatility
If the housing is placed on uneven surfaces or asymmetrically loaded, then adaptability to different conditions is improved, but torsion occurs during closing
Solution Approach 1:
The centering strips and centering recesses form a self-aligning mechanism that automatically compensates for housing distortion caused by uneven surfaces or asymmetric loading. The geometry of the centering elements is designed to guide the lid into proper alignment regardless of the housing's initial distorted state, allowing the system to self-correct without external intervention.
Solution Approach 2:
The centering mechanism applies a preliminary counteracting force to prevent the harmful effects of torsion during closing. By engaging the centering strips with the centering recesses before the final closing action, the system pre-compensates for any distortion, ensuring that the closing force is applied in the correct alignment despite uneven surfaces or asymmetric loading.
Data Source
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AI summary
The invention relates to a storage device (1) comprising at least one storage container (2) provided with a container housing (15) which has a housing lower part (24) and a housing cover (25) swivellably mounted on the housing lower part (24) in the region of the rear side (7). On the underside of its two lateral cover edge sections (57), the housing cover (25) has a respective centring strip (63) projecting downwards, wherein these centring strips (63) protrude into the housing lower part (24) when closing the housing cover (25) in such a way that, via transverse support occurring relative to the housing lower part (24), they ensure that the housing cover (24) is guided into a closed position that is centred relative to the housing lower part (25).