Since its been several weeks since I've updated my progress I will attempt to cover everything I've been doing since then. When last I posted I had created a couple different bag forms but I needed to expand out into creating the collapsible framework. Something, I admit, has been a bit more of a challenge for me. From now on I plan to work on the bag and frame in tandem to create more of a holistic design as opposed to an A follow B approach.
Throughout my research and obsessively pouring over design blogs, I've always taken a lot of inspiration from tents and looking at the way entire structures can be collapsed very easily and become portable. Therefore I decided to try using tent poles themselves to create a framework with wheels for an existing reusable shopping bag. I was interested in using and slightly modifying an existing grocery bags because it would allow the user to only have to purchase the collapsible framework and not another bag if they already had one. so that the user only needs to purchase the framework and not a new reuseable bag. The in sketch below you'll see the simple fastener hardware I designed out of delrin to hold the tent pole framework up and the allow for the wheels to be attached horizontally from the same piece.
I wanted to add support to the bag for carrying heavy loads so I customized a sheet of plywood for a mock-up with two hinges on each side that allowed the wheels to connect to the board.
The tent poles link together to gain height and attach to the upper part of the bag with velcro fastens. The cart is ready to go.
The bag easily detaches from the framework and the poles collapse down. The shock-cord between the poles keeps all of the framework together.
This idea is obviously not fully resolved and there are a lot of problems with it. I don't think its a very convenient design because it asks the user to preform multiple steps before they have their cart assembled. I also think a sturdier design will be needed for the groceries. Therefore I'm putting this idea on hold for the time being and exploring other directions.
After doing that exercise I began to wonder if the support I had added to the bottom of the bag could become the case for the bag itself. Below is a concept sketch of the idea.
This is what I ended up with.
The zipper allows the user to to take the support out and easily
wash the bag.
Recently I've been thinking about appropriating the way in which an umbrella collapses and expands. If an umbrella were turned upside down and the framework were modified could the canopy then become more bag-like in shape? If I can modify this design then perhaps I could make reusable grocery transports as lightweight and collapsible as the mini umbrellas show below.
Switching subject a little, below are some concept sketches from awhile ago. I wanted to include them because even if I don't move forward with the designs I would like to have more products in a product line of grocery transports. These designs would be keychain collapsible and not attach to carts.
Overall I'm still striving to create a design that combats this feeling
