Transport Frame With Pivotable Support Legs For Flat Elements

Resolve Bottlenecks,
Find Innovative Solutions
Generate Solutions

Solution Overview

Problem

Current transport racks for flat and long goods, such as windows and pipes, do not optimize space usage during transport and storage, leading to inefficiencies and high costs for return transport of empty racks.

Innovation Solution

A transport frame with adjustable supporting legs of different lengths that can pivot, allowing for customizable support and storage configurations, enabling optimal space utilization during transport and minimizing logistical requirements by allowing the frame to be disassembled for compact storage and easy handling.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Reliability

If transport racks are designed with fixed structure to provide stable support for flat elements, then reliability of transport is improved, but space utilization during return transport deteriorates

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvetransport reliabilityVSAvoidspace utilization
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSVolume of moving object

Solution Approach 1:

The support legs are designed to be pivotable relative to the carrying legs, allowing the transport rack to dynamically change its configuration. During load transport, the support legs are pivoted out to provide stable support for flat elements. During return transport, the support legs are pivoted in to minimize the overall volume of the rack, thereby resolving the contradiction between maintaining transport reliability and improving space utilization.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #15Dynamics

2Loss of substance

If transport racks are designed to be reusable and durable, then loss of substance is reduced, but device complexity increases

Engineering Contradiction:
Improverack reusabilityVSAvoidstructural complexity
Core Design Contradiction:
Loss of substanceVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The transport rack is divided into separate modular components: carrying legs, support legs, and angle brackets. These segments can be independently manufactured and assembled, which simplifies the overall design while maintaining durability for repeated use. The modular structure allows for easier maintenance and repair, reducing the need for complete replacement and thereby reducing material loss.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #1Segmentation

3Adaptability or versatility

If transport racks are designed with adjustable support legs to accommodate different loads, then adaptability is improved, but device complexity increases

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveload adaptabilityVSAvoidstructural complexity
Core Design Contradiction:
Adaptability or versatilityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The pivotable support legs provide a simple dynamic adjustment mechanism that allows the rack to adapt to different load configurations and sizes. By pivoting the support legs to different angles, the rack can accommodate various dimensions of flat elements without requiring complex adjustable mechanisms, thus improving adaptability while keeping the structural complexity manageable.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #15Dynamics

Data Source

PatentEP3431363B1Transport frame
Publication Date: 2022.08.31 FRAUNHOFER GESELLSCHAFT ZUR FORDERUNG DER ANGEWANDTEN FORSCHUNG EV
  • EP3431363B1 patent drawingFigure 1~4
  • EP3431363B1 patent drawingFigure 5~9
  • EP3431363B1 patent drawingFigure 10~18

AI summary

The invention relates to a transport frame for transporting extruded elements (long goods) or flat elements (4, 5, 6), in particular windows or window panes, with at least one angle bracket (1, 2, 9, 10, 11, 12, 15, 17, 28, 80, 81) comprising a support leg (1b, 2b, 9b, 10b, 11b, 12b, 15b, 17b, 28b, 80b, 81b) and a support leg (1a, 2a, 9a, 10a, 11a, 12a, 15a, 17a, 28a, 80a, 81a), wherein the transport frame is arranged such that the weight of the flat elements to be transported rests predominantly on the support leg(s) during transport, wherein one or more support legs are pivotable and/or pluggable and/or movable and/or extendable in length, attached to a part of the transport frame. Several angle brackets can also be combined to form one transport frame, whereby the angle brackets are designed to be separable and/or foldable for empty transport.