Three-piece container with triple wall side walls and reinforced corners
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional Bliss-style shipping containers have weak corners due to the design of modified corners, which lead to inefficient material utilization and reduced stacking strength, while Defor containers require more material for enhanced strength.
Innovation Solution
A three-piece shipping container design featuring double wall laminations in end walls and triple wall laminations in sidewalls, with full corner posts and horizontally oriented corrugations, allowing for increased compression strength and efficient material use.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Strength
If diagonal corner panels are added to Bliss-style containers to increase stacking strength, then stacking strength is improved, but weak areas are created in the bottom corners where flanges must be wide to reach past the diagonal panel join
Solution Approach 1:
The end piece is segmented into multiple panels: outer end wall panel, inner end wall panel, diagonal corner panels, and bottom corner panels. This segmentation allows each panel to perform its specific function - the diagonal panels provide stacking strength while the bottom corner panels fill the gap to eliminate weak areas where flanges join.
Solution Approach 2:
Different regions of the end piece have different structural configurations tailored to their specific needs. The diagonal corner panels are positioned where stacking strength is needed, while bottom corner panels are positioned where structural support is needed to eliminate weak areas. This local optimization resolves the contradiction between stacking strength and corner reliability.
2Strength
If vertical corrugations are used in the wrapper to enhance compression strength, then compression strength is improved, but corrugator width utilization becomes inefficient
Solution Approach 1:
The compression strength function is segmented from the wrapper to the end piece structure. The end piece with its multiple panels and corner constructions provides the primary compression strength, allowing the wrapper to use horizontal corrugations for efficient material utilization without sacrificing overall container strength.
Solution Approach 2:
The end piece structure provides localized compression strength at the corners and end walls, which are the critical load-bearing areas. This allows the wrapper body to use horizontally oriented corrugations that optimize corrugator width utilization while the end pieces provide the necessary compression resistance.
3Strength
If Defor container design with single blank and double thickness walls is used to achieve greater strength, then strength is improved, but material consumption increases
Solution Approach 1:
Instead of using a single thick blank, the end piece is segmented into multiple thinner panels (outer end wall panel, inner end wall panel, diagonal corner panels, bottom corner panels) that are folded and joined together. This achieves equivalent or superior strength through structural configuration rather than material quantity, reducing overall material consumption.
Solution Approach 2:
The inner end wall panel is nested within the structure formed by the outer end wall panel and corner panels. This nested configuration creates a compact, strong structure that uses less material than a single thick wall while maintaining or enhancing strength through the multi-panel construction.
Data Source
AI summary
A three-piece container comprises top and bottom walls, apposite end walls, opposite side walls, and reinforced corners. First and second end pieces are configured to form first and second container end walls. The end pieces are each folded to define an inner end wall panel and an overlying outer end wall panel. First partial side wall panels extend perpendicularly from opposite sides of the outer wall panel. Second partial side wall panels are joined to the inner end wall panel by a diagonal web that forms a reinforcing corner post in each corner of the container. A wrapper is configured to be joined to the first and second end pieces and is folded to define the top wall, the bottom wall, and the opposite side walls. The wrapper overlies the partial side wall panels to define a triple wall side wall construction.