Adjustable plant stand assembly
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing plant stands lack the ability to efficiently support planters of varying sizes and do not compactly collapse within their own profile, leading to inefficient packaging and shipping.
Innovation Solution
An adjustable plant stand assembly with a baseplate and pivotally connected upright supports that expand and retract, utilizing links and recesses to accommodate different planter diameters and compactly collapse within the baseplate's profile, featuring tension-loaded fasteners for stability.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If plant stands are designed with fixed upright supports, then they can support planters of a specific size, but they cannot accommodate planters of varying sizes
Solution Approach 1:
The upright supports are designed to be dynamically adjustable rather than fixed. Each upright support can pivot at its base and is connected via links that allow movement between extended and retracted positions, enabling the stand to adapt to different planter sizes while maintaining structural integrity
Solution Approach 2:
The upright supports are divided into multiple segments connected by joints and links. This segmentation allows each segment to move independently, providing flexibility to adjust the overall height and configuration of the upright supports to match different planter dimensions
2Adaptability or versatility
If upright supports are extended to support larger planters, then versatility is improved, but the stand occupies more space when not in use
Solution Approach 1:
The upright supports are designed to nest within the baseplate profile when retracted. The links and upright support components are configured to fold back and store within the contours of the baseplate, allowing the entire assembly to collapse to a compact size that fits within its own footprint for efficient storage and shipping
Solution Approach 2:
The mechanism allows dynamic transformation between extended and retracted states. When not in use, the upright supports pivot and retract to minimize the volume occupied, while when needed, they can be extended to accommodate various planter sizes, providing adaptability without permanent space consumption
3Volume of moving object
If the stand is designed to compactly collapse within baseplate profile, then shipping efficiency is improved, but the mechanism becomes more complex
Solution Approach 1:
The collapsing mechanism is segmented into discrete movable components - links, joints, and upright support sections - each with a specific function. This segmentation allows the complex motion of collapsing within the baseplate profile to be achieved through simple, standardized mechanical connections rather than a monolithic complex mechanism
Solution Approach 2:
The links serve multiple functions: they connect upright supports to the baseplate, enable pivoting motion for adjustment, and facilitate retraction within the baseplate profile. This multi-functionality reduces the need for separate components for each function, thereby reducing overall mechanism complexity while achieving compact collapse
Data Source
AI summary
An adjustable plant stand assembly is provided with a baseplate to support a planter. The baseplate has an overall profile. A plurality of upright supports is adjustably connected to the baseplate to support the baseplate above an underlying support surface, to expand relative to the baseplate to support planters of varying sizes, and to retract relative to the baseplate within the overall profile of the baseplate.