Twist-Fold Wire Containers for Compact Storage of Large Sets
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Solution Overview
Problem
Large containers for holding items like bread or party supplies are difficult to store due to their size, often made of fragile materials, and can become lost or damaged, leading to incomplete sets and inefficient storage.
Innovation Solution
A collapsible twist-fold container system using wires with pivotally connected horizontal portions to allow for easy storage and viewing, constructed from durable materials like metal or spring steel, which can be connected to form sets to prevent separation.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Quantity of substance
If containers are made large to accommodate sufficient quantity for serving several people, then the container capacity is improved, but the storage space requirement increases and becomes difficult to store
Solution Approach 1:
The container is divided into multiple segments or sections that can be collapsed independently. The wire structure is segmented into radial spokes and circumferential elements that can fold relative to each other, allowing the large container to collapse into a compact form for storage while maintaining full capacity when expanded
Solution Approach 2:
The container transitions from a static rigid structure to a dynamic collapsible structure. The wire framework incorporates pivot points and flexible joints that allow the container to change its volume dynamically - expanding when needed for serving and collapsing when needed for storage, effectively resolving the contradiction between capacity and storage space
2Loss of information
If containers are made from clear material to permit viewing of items from outside, then the visibility is improved, but the permeability for water flow is reduced
Solution Approach 1:
The container utilizes a wire mesh or grid structure that is inherently porous, allowing water to flow through freely. The gaps between wire elements provide permeability for rinsing fruits and vegetables while the overall structure maintains sufficient opacity to prevent clear viewing, thus resolving the contradiction between visibility and water flow
3Shape
If party containers are made as separate components to match aesthetic design, then the aesthetic quality is improved, but the reliability of complete sets is reduced due to loss or damage
Solution Approach 1:
Multiple container components are merged into a single integrated wire structure. The radial spokes and circumferential elements form a unified framework that holds multiple bowls or sections together, ensuring they remain as a complete set and cannot become separated through loss or damage, while still allowing aesthetic design variations
4Shape
If containers are made from fragile materials to achieve aesthetic design, then the aesthetic quality is improved, but the durability is reduced
Solution Approach 1:
The material parameter is changed from fragile materials (glass, ceramic) to durable wire material (metal, spring steel). This parameter change maintains the ability to achieve aesthetic designs through wire shaping and forming while fundamentally improving durability and resistance to breaking, chipping, or damage
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
The system allows for compact storage and durability, preventing loss and damage, while maintaining aesthetic cohesion and functionality for party supplies.
Implementation Method 1
a first generally horizontal portion is pivotally connected to a rim of the container, and wherein said second generally horizontal portion is pivotally connected to a base of the container
Data Source
AI summary
Twist-fold containers include wires that are pivotally connected to channels formed in the containers. Using a twisting motion, the containers including the wires are collapsed. The collapsing, twisting motion is produced though the use of wires that are displaced in a plurality of locations along the circumference of the container. The wires include horizontal sections that are configured to be retained in the base or rim of the container in a manner that permits them to rotate to transition the container between expanded and collapsed positions.