Canopy Support Structure With Movable Hubs For Independent Height And Span Adjustment
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional pole-mounted canopy support structures lack the ability to independently configure their height and span, limiting their versatility and practical application, especially in eccentric canopy structures where arms extend unevenly.
Innovation Solution
A pole-mounted canopy support structure system featuring a three-dimensional array of hub pairs and articulating arms, where the hubs are movable along the pole and connected by scissor-connected primary articulating arms, allowing for adjustable extension and retraction, and incorporating modular components for enhanced flexibility and stability.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Length of moving object
If the structure height is increased to allow arms to close without hitting the ground, then the span of extended arms is limited by practical height constraints
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies dynamics by making the hub pairs movable along the pole rather than fixed. The hubs can slide vertically to adjust the span of articulating arms independently of the pole height. This dynamic adjustment mechanism resolves the contradiction by allowing the structure to adapt its configuration - when hubs are positioned higher, arm span increases; when positioned lower, arm span decreases - without being constrained by the fixed pole height.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent segments the canopy support structure into distinct functional components: the pole, multiple hub pairs that can move independently along the pole, and articulating arms. This segmentation allows independent adjustment of each component's position, enabling the span to be modified by repositioning hubs without changing the overall pole height, thus resolving the contradiction between height and span limitations.
2Ease of operation
If the structure is made tall enough for arms to close without obstruction, then the practical height limit restricts the span of extended arms
Solution Approach 1:
The dynamic positioning of hub pairs along the pole enables the structure to adapt its span configuration flexibly. By moving hubs to different vertical positions, the system can adjust the arm span to match different operational requirements, whether for full extension or complete retraction, thereby enhancing versatility without compromising ease of operation.
Solution Approach 2:
The hub pairs serve multiple functions: they act as connection points for articulating arms, provide vertical adjustment capability, and enable independent span configuration. This multi-functionality allows a single structure to accommodate various span requirements while maintaining ease of arm closure, resolving the contradiction between operational ease and adaptability.
3Device complexity
If conventional fixed hub structures are used, then height and span are coupled and cannot be independently configured
Solution Approach 1:
By segmenting the structure into movable hub pairs that can independently position along the pole, the patent enables independent configuration of height and span. Each hub pair can be adjusted to different vertical positions, decoupling the relationship between overall structure height and arm span, thus achieving versatility while maintaining reasonable structural simplicity.
Solution Approach 2:
The introduction of movable hub pairs transforms the structure from a static, fixed-configuration system to a dynamic, adjustable system. This dynamic capability allows independent configuration of height and span parameters, resolving the contradiction between structural simplicity and adaptability by adding only the essential moving components needed for adjustment.
Data Source
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AI summary
A canopy support structure includes first and second hubs coupled to and movable along the pole or first and second hubs of which one is coupled to and movable along a track. The first and second hubs are movable toward each other during extension of the canopy support structure and away from each other during retraction of the canopy support structure. A plurality of articulating arms is connected directly or indirectly to the first and second hubs. The articulating arms include sets of scissor-connected primary articulating arms. At least some of the sets of scissor-connected primary articulating arms are connected directly to the first and second hubs and extend outward from the first and secondary hubs during expansion of the canopy support structure.