Wheelchair Cargo Container With Reconfigurable Loading Orientation
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Solution Overview
Problem
The challenge of efficiently loading and storing specialized cargo, such as motorized wheelchairs, in vehicles like aircraft is exacerbated by their large dimensions, which can cause damage and require a larger workforce, leading to inefficiencies and increased costs.
Innovation Solution
A container with multiple sides and wheels that can be oriented upright or on its side, featuring retractable wheels and a pivotable door, designed to fit through vehicle doors and conform to cargo hold shapes, facilitating easy loading and secure storage.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Volume of moving object
If the motorized wheelchair is positioned upright for loading, then the cargo hold space utilization is improved, but the wheelchair cannot pass through the door due to its large dimensions
Solution Approach 1:
The container is designed to be dynamically reconfigurable between upright and side orientations. The container can be positioned upright during loading to maximize cargo hold space utilization, then rotated to side orientation for secure storage. This dynamic reconfiguration allows the system to adapt to different operational phases, resolving the contradiction between space utilization and loading ease.
2Ease of operation
If the motorized wheelchair is positioned on its side to fit through the door, then the door passage constraint is satisfied, but the wheelchair is damaged and requires larger workforce
Solution Approach 1:
A specially designed container serves as an intermediary between the wheelchair and the door passage. The container is configured to receive the wheelchair in an upright position, protecting it from damage. The container itself then fits through the door, either in upright or side orientation, eliminating the need to maneuver the wheelchair directly through the restricted space.
Solution Approach 2:
The wheelchair is nested within the container, which provides structural protection. The container acts as a protective shell that maintains the wheelchair's upright orientation during transport, preventing damage while allowing the combined unit to pass through the door and be stored in the cargo hold.
3Ease of manufacture
If the container is designed with fixed wheels, then the manufacturing simplicity is improved, but the container cannot be efficiently positioned in cargo hold
Solution Approach 1:
The wheel assembly is designed to be retractable or movable relative to the container body. This dynamic feature allows the wheels to be positioned outward during loading operations for easy maneuverability, then retracted or moved inward during storage to minimize the container's footprint in the cargo hold, thereby improving space utilization and loading efficiency.
4Reliability
If a larger workforce is used to handle the wheelchair, then the loading safety is improved, but the transportation cost and time increase
Solution Approach 1:
The container is designed with self-service features including a retractable wheel assembly and pivotable door that enable easy maneuvering and positioning without requiring multiple personnel. The container can be easily rolled into position and the door pivoted open for self-loading, reducing the need for a large workforce while maintaining safety and improving loading speed.
Data Source
AI summary
A container to contain cargo. The container has a first side, a second side, and a wheel side. Wheels are connected to the wheel side. The container is selectively positionable between an upright orientation and a side orientation. The upright orientation positions the first side downward to contact a support surface and with the wheels spaced away from support surface. The side orientation comprises the first wheel side positioned downward towards the support surface and with the first side and the second side spaced away from the support surface.