Stackable Tray with Offset Columns for Handle Clearance
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Existing low-depth trays for storing and transporting beverage containers are unstable due to reduced footprint when stacked on dividers and often interfere with bottle handles, leading to fragility and poor handling in cross-stack configurations.
Innovation Solution
A tray design featuring center and corner columns with offset exterior surfaces and split center side columns to accommodate handles, ensuring stable nesting and handling in column and cross-stack configurations, with outer ledges defining the nesting height and inward offsets for handle clearance.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Weight of moving object
If the side walls and dividers are lowered to reduce weight, then the tray becomes lighter, but the stacking stability deteriorates because the footprint is much smaller when stacking on dividers only
Solution Approach 1:
The tray structure is segmented into multiple support elements: four corner columns, four side columns, and interior columns with dividers. This segmentation distributes the stacking load across multiple contact points, improving stability while maintaining the low-depth design and reduced weight.
Solution Approach 2:
Different parts of the tray have different column heights and configurations optimized for their specific functions. Corner columns and side columns have outer ledges at nesting height for stability, while interior columns are integrated with dividers for bottle support. This local differentiation allows weight reduction in non-critical areas while maintaining stability where needed.
2Ease of operation
If the columns are tapered aggressively on the outside face to accommodate the handle, then the handle clearance is improved, but the corner columns become more fragile
Solution Approach 1:
The tapering is applied locally only to the outside face of columns that contact the handle in cross-stack configurations, while maintaining full strength at the corner columns and interior support areas. This selective tapering provides handle clearance where needed without compromising overall structural integrity.
Solution Approach 2:
The columns exhibit asymmetric geometry with different dimensions on different faces. The outside face contacting the handle is tapered, while the interior and corner faces maintain sufficient thickness for strength. This asymmetric design allows handle accommodation while preserving column strength.
3Illumination intensity
If the side walls between columns and dividers are lowered for visibility, then the visibility is improved, but the stacking compatibility deteriorates because the side walls interfere with the handle area in cross-stack arrangements
Solution Approach 1:
The side wall structure is segmented into multiple columns (corner columns, side columns, interior columns) with strategic placement of outer ledges. This segmentation allows the side walls to be lowered for visibility while the discrete columns provide the necessary support surfaces for stable stacking and handle clearance.
Solution Approach 2:
The solution moves from a continuous side wall to a discrete column structure, adding vertical dimensionality with outer ledges at nesting height. This dimensional change allows the side walls to be lower for visibility while the ledges provide stacking surfaces, resolving the conflict between visibility and stacking compatibility.
Data Source
AI summary
A tray for storing and transporting bottles according to one embodiment of the present invention includes a base and a plurality of corner columns and side columns extending upwardly from the base, including center side columns. The center side columns and the corner columns having outer ledges defining a nesting height of the tray, such that the side walls of a similar tray nested thereon would contact and rest on the outer ledges of the center side columns and the corner columns. According to another, independent feature of the present invention, the noncenter side columns are offset inwardly relative to adjacent columns. This accommodates the handle of the tray in a ninety-degree cross-stacked configuration. As another optional feature, end columns are offset inwardly relative to adjacent corner columns in order to accommodate the handle of a similar tray nested thereon.