Transport Container Brush Structure for Scratch Concealment

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Solution Overview

Problem

Transport containers, particularly bottle crates, suffer from visible wear and tear due to scratches from lateral guides during conveyor belt transport, leading to a reduced lifespan and diminished visual appeal, necessitating frequent replacement.

Innovation Solution

The introduction of a brush-like structure with furrow-like depressions on the outer surfaces of the container, ranging from 0.01 to 1 mm in depth and 0.01 to 0.7 mm in distance, which aligns parallel to potential wear areas, effectively concealing scratches and reducing material contact during transport.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Illumination intensity

If smooth outer surfaces are used on transport containers, then the containers have good visual appearance initially, but they show visible wear and scratches quickly during transport

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvevisual appearanceVSAvoidvisible wear and scratches
Core Design Contradiction:
Illumination intensityVSObject-affected harmful factors

Solution Approach 1:

The brush structure is applied to the outer surfaces of the container before transport begins. This preliminary structuring of the surface creates a pattern that will accommodate and conceal future wear marks, preventing the visual degradation that would otherwise occur on smooth surfaces.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #10Preliminary action

Solution Approach 2:

The brush structure creates optical effects that mask wear marks. The textured surface scatters light in a way that makes scratches and wear less visually apparent, effectively using optical properties to conceal degradation.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #32Color changes

2Stability of the object's composition

If lateral guides are used on conveyor belts to prevent containers from falling, then container stability is improved, but the guides cause scratches and wear on container surfaces

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvecontainer stability during transportVSAvoidscratches from lateral guides
Core Design Contradiction:
Stability of the object's compositionVSObject-affected harmful factors

Solution Approach 1:

The invention converts the harmful effect of guide contact into a beneficial concealment mechanism. The same lateral guides that cause scratches now interact with a pre-structured surface that masks the resulting wear, turning an unavoidable harmful interaction into a visually acceptable outcome.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #22Blessing in disguise (Convert harm into benefit)

Solution Approach 2:

The surface parameters (roughness, texture pattern) are changed from smooth to brush-structured. This parameter change allows the surface to better withstand and conceal the mechanical interaction with lateral guides, maintaining stability while reducing visible damage.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #35Parameter changes

3Illumination intensity

If transport containers are replaced frequently to maintain appearance, then visual quality is maintained, but resource waste and production costs increase

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvevisual appearance qualityVSAvoidcontainer material waste
Core Design Contradiction:
Illumination intensityVSLoss of substance

Solution Approach 1:

By pre-applying the brush structure to container surfaces, the invention extends the service life of containers by preventing visual degradation. This allows containers to remain in circulation longer without replacement, reducing material waste and production costs.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #10Preliminary action

Solution Approach 2:

The brush structure enables containers to be kept in circulation longer by concealing wear rather than requiring disposal and replacement. This extends the useful life of each container unit, improving resource efficiency.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #34Discarding and recovering

Data Source

PatentEP2177440B2Transport container optimised against abrasion
Publication Date: 2020.11.18 SCHOELLER ARCA SYST
  • EP2177440B2 patent drawingFigure 1
  • EP2177440B2 patent drawingFigure 2
  • EP2177440B2 patent drawingFigure 3

AI summary

The transport container (1) has a base (7) and walls (3,4,5,6). A structure (21) is provided as a brush structure with recesses (22), where the recesses are provided with depths within the range of 0.01 to 1 millimeter. The structure is provided at an external surface of one or multiple walls in an area wise manner.