Tray-Equipped Pallet With Zipper Separation for Tool-Free Recycling
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional tray-equipped pallets, used for packing heavyweight products, require separation of materials for recyclability, necessitating complex disassembly with tools due to their integrated structure.
Innovation Solution
A tray-equipped pallet design featuring a corrugated cardboard tray and a wooden pallet secured with a connection mechanism, allowing easy separation via zipper-like features for efficient disassembly without tools.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Strength
If the tray and pallet are integrated with strong connection for structural integrity, then the strength and stability are improved, but the difficulty of separation increases requiring tools for disassembly
Solution Approach 1:
The connection structure is divided into a connection portion on the pallet and an engagement hole on the tray, with zipper portions creating separable joints. This segmentation allows the integrated structure to maintain strength during use while enabling easy separation through tearing the zipper portions without requiring tools.
Solution Approach 2:
The connection mechanism transitions from a static permanent joint to a dynamic separable joint. The zipper portions can be torn to separate the tray from the pallet, transforming the connection state from fixed to separable while maintaining structural integrity during the use phase.
2Adaptability or versatility
If the tray and pallet are made of different materials for recyclability, then the environmental friendliness is improved, but the complexity of separation process increases
Solution Approach 1:
The tray bottom surface is divided into multiple portions by zipper portions, allowing the corrugated cardboard tray to be easily separated from the wooden pallet. This segmentation enables different materials to be separated for recycling without requiring complex disassembly processes or tools.
Solution Approach 2:
The zipper portions are designed to be torn by hand, allowing the separation process to be performed without external tools or complex mechanisms. The structure itself provides the means for separation through the tearable zipper portions, simplifying the recycling process despite using different materials.
3Ease of operation
If the connection structure is simplified for easy separation, then the ease of operation is improved, but the structural integrity and strength may be compromised
Solution Approach 1:
The connection is segmented into a connection portion and engagement hole that work together to provide both strength and ease of separation. The zipper portions create defined separation lines that do not compromise the overall structural integrity during use, while enabling simple tearing for disassembly.
Solution Approach 2:
The engagement hole acts as an intermediary element between the connection portion and the tray body, providing a secure connection point that maintains structural integrity while allowing the zipper portions to be torn for easy separation without compromising the overall strength of the connection.
Data Source
AI summary
A tray-equipped pallet includes a pallet, a tray, and a support plate. The tray is made of a sheet and includes a rectangular bottom surface secured to a top plate of the pallet. The support plate is secured to overlie the bottom surface of the tray. The pallet includes a connection portion that protrudes from an upper surface of the top plate and to which the support plate is secured. The tray includes an engagement hole that is formed in the bottom surface and with which the connection portion engages, a first zipper portion that enables separation of the bottom surface into first and second bottom surface portions, and a second zipper portion that enables breakage of a part of the engagement hole on an opposite side to the first zipper portion.