Water-Resistant Tote Bag With Semi-Rigid Base

Resolve Bottlenecks,
Find Innovative Solutions
Generate Solutions

Solution Overview

Problem

Conventional tote bags lack durability, water resistance, and ease of cleaning, making them unsuitable for carrying bulky or wet items effectively.

Innovation Solution

A tote bag design featuring a water-resistant outer shell, antimicrobial materials, a semi-rigid base for upright stability, and a waterproof zipper system, along with internal pockets and dividers for organization, allowing easy cleaning and secure carrying of items.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Reliability

If conventional tote bags are made from basic materials, then they are easy to manufacture and inexpensive, but they lack durability and water resistance

Engineering Contradiction:
ImprovedurabilityVSAvoidmanufacturing complexity
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSEase of manufacture

Solution Approach 1:

The patent employs composite materials including a water-resistant outer shell material, an antimicrobial inner liner material, and a semi-rigid base material. These composite materials are selected to provide specific functional properties (water resistance, antimicrobial capability, structural rigidity) while maintaining manufacturability through standard fabrication processes for each material type.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #40Composite materials

Solution Approach 2:

Different regions of the tote bag are constructed from materials with specialized local properties: the outer shell uses water-resistant material for protection, the inner liner uses antimicrobial material for hygiene, and the base uses semi-rigid material for structural support. This localized material selection optimizes durability in critical areas without unnecessarily complicating the entire manufacturing process.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #3Local quality

2Object-affected harmful factors

If the tote bag is designed to be water-resistant and antimicrobial, then it provides better protection for contents, but the cleaning process becomes more complex

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvewater resistanceVSAvoidcleaning ease
Core Design Contradiction:
Object-affected harmful factorsVSEase of repair

Solution Approach 1:

The tote bag is designed with self-cleaning characteristics through the antimicrobial inner liner material that actively prevents bacterial growth. The water-resistant outer shell is configured to repel water and dirt, allowing the bag to maintain its protective properties while being easy to clean by simply rinsing with water, thus the bag essentially cleans itself through its material properties.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #25Self-service

Solution Approach 2:

The materials are selected with specific parameter properties: the outer shell has a water contact angle greater than 90 degrees for water resistance, and the inner liner has antimicrobial activity. These parameter changes in material selection enable the bag to be both water-resistant and easy to clean, as the specialized materials prevent contamination rather than requiring complex cleaning procedures.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #35Parameter changes

3Stability of the object's composition

If a semi-rigid base is added to maintain upright stability, then the bag structure improves, but the device complexity increases

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveupright stabilityVSAvoidstructural complexity
Core Design Contradiction:
Stability of the object's compositionVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The semi-rigid base is constructed as a thin-film or shell-like structure that provides the necessary structural support for upright stability. This base layer is integrated into the bottom of the tote bag, forming a rigid platform without adding significant bulk or complexity. The flexible shell approach allows the base to maintain its shape and provide stability while remaining relatively simple in construction.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #30Flexible shells and thin films

4Adaptability or versatility

If internal pockets and dividers are added for organization, then the storage functionality improves, but the manufacturing precision requirements increase

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvestorage organizationVSAvoidassembly precision
Core Design Contradiction:
Adaptability or versatilityVSManufacturing precision

Solution Approach 1:

The storage compartment is segmented into multiple sections using internal dividers and pockets that are attached to the inner liner. These segmentation elements are designed as separate, modular components that can be independently manufactured and then assembled into the storage compartment. This segmentation approach provides excellent organization functionality while reducing the overall manufacturing precision requirements, as each component can be made separately with standard tolerances rather than requiring precision integration.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #1Segmentation

Data Source

PatentEP4122353A1Tote bag
Publication Date: 2023.01.25 YETI COOLERS LLC
  • EP4122353A1 patent drawingFigure 1
  • EP4122353A1 patent drawingFigure 2A~2B
  • EP4122353A1 patent drawingFigure 3

AI summary

A bag including a shell defining a sidewall, an upper portion, a rim, an opening, a front, a back, and a lower portion, wherein the opening is configured to allow access to a storage compartment, a semi-rigid base defining a bottom of the bag, wherein the shell and the semi-rigid base form the storage compartment, and a first internal divider panel attached to the sidewall and configured to transition from a first position to a second position, wherein the first position is a stowed configuration and the second position is in an extended configuration, a second internal divider panel attached to the sidewall opposite the first internal divider panel and configured to transition from the first position to the second position, wherein the first internal divider panel and the second internal divider panel are flush with the sidewall in the first position.