Wrap Around Container Foam Barrier Shock Absorption
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing wrap around containers made of corrugated cardboard are insufficient in protecting electronic devices like smartphones and hand-held tablet PCs from impact during transit due to lack of adequate shock absorption.
Innovation Solution
A wrap around container with foam means extending over the device receiving portion and onto the surface of flaps, forming a foam barrier between the device and the container, which is peelable for easy recycling, and includes a foam strip for additional protection, attached using double-sided tape or adhesive, providing shock dissipation and load-bearing capabilities.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Strength
If corrugated cardboard is used for the container, then the container is lightweight and recyclable, but it provides insufficient protection from impact to the device
Solution Approach 1:
The patent combines corrugated cardboard with foam material to create a composite container structure. The cardboard provides the basic container framework while the foam material provides impact absorption. This composite approach resolves the contradiction by achieving sufficient impact protection without requiring a completely different container structure, maintaining recyclability while adding protective functionality.
Solution Approach 2:
The foam material is positioned between the device and the cardboard container walls before transit occurs. This beforehand cushioning absorbs impact energy before it reaches the device, resolving the contradiction by providing impact protection through pre-positioned protective material rather than requiring a more complex structural design.
2Strength
If foam material is added for shock absorption, then impact protection is improved, but the container becomes harder to recycle due to mixed materials
Solution Approach 1:
The container is segmented into distinct components: the cardboard container structure and the foam protective material. The foam material can be easily separated from the cardboard structure, allowing each material type to be recycled through appropriate channels. This segmentation resolves the contradiction by making the multi-material container easier to recycle rather than harder.
Solution Approach 2:
The foam material is designed to be easily removed and separated from the cardboard container after use. The foam can be recovered for recycling or disposal separately from the cardboard, which can be recycled through standard paper recycling processes. This approach resolves the contradiction by enabling recovery and separate recycling of each material component.
3Volume of stationary object
If the container is made compact for mailing, then postal costs are reduced, but the device may move around inside during transit
Solution Approach 1:
The foam material acts as a flexible protective layer that conforms to the device shape and fills gaps between the device and container walls. This flexible foam barrier prevents device movement while maintaining a compact container size, resolving the contradiction by providing stability through material properties rather than increasing container volume.
Solution Approach 2:
The foam material is positioned beforehand to contact the device and prevent movement. This pre-positioned cushioning material fills void spaces and secures the device in place, resolving the contradiction by ensuring device stability through proper material placement rather than requiring a larger container.
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 container effectively absorbs shock and protects electronic devices during transit, allowing for secure stacking and easy recycling, meeting the requirements for transporting lithium battery-powered devices and ensuring they are securely held in a compact size for mailing.
Implementation Method 1
the foam means, the wrap around container can more readily protect an electronic device held within by absorbing shock from say the container being dropped or being moved suddenly
Data Source
AI summary
A wrap around container for holding an electronic device has a substantially rectangular panel comprising a device receiving portion at one end of the panel, a fixing portion at the opposite end of the panel, and a wrap around portion in between. A pair of flaps extend from opposite sides of the device receiving portion of the panel, each side being on a respective longitudinal edge of the rectangular panel. Each flap is arranged to be folded into a closed position where the flap is over at least a part of the device receiving portion and an upper surface of a device when placed on the device receiving portion. The wrap around portion is arranged to wrap at least over the flaps in the closed position and the fixing portion is arranged to be fixed to an outside of the container after wrapping of the wrap around portion to close the container. Foam means extend over at least part of the device receiving portion and onto the surface of each flap facing the device receiving portion when in the closed position so as to form a foam barrier between a device placed on the device receiving portion and the device receiving portion and the closed flaps. The foam means are attached to the device receiving portion and the two flaps and the foam means is configured to be peelable away from the container when the container is open.