Collapsible Chair Canopy Frame With Pivoting Position Control
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing canopy designs for outdoor furniture lack versatility in positioning, as they are typically limited to either an overhead or behind-the-chair configuration, and often require complex attachment mechanisms or are not easily collapsible for storage.
Innovation Solution
A frame and canopy system that can be oriented in overhead, behind-the-furniture, and intermediate positions, featuring a frame with pivotally attached support arms and segments that can be hinged and collapsed for easy storage, using connectors and clamps to secure the canopy segments.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If the canopy is designed with fixed attachment mechanisms to ensure stable positioning, then the reliability of the canopy structure is improved, but the ease of operation for assembly and disassembly deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies dynamics by making the canopy support arms movable rather than fixed. The support arms can pivot between an extended position (providing stable canopy support) and a retracted position (allowing easy collapse and storage). This dynamic capability resolves the contradiction by enabling the structure to be stable when needed while remaining easy to assemble and disassemble through simple pivot movements without complex attachment mechanisms
2Ease of operation
If the canopy is designed to be collapsible for compact storage, then the ease of operation for storage is improved, but the reliability of the canopy structure during use deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The support arms are designed with pivot connections that allow smooth transition between extended and retracted positions. When extended, the arms provide rigid support for the canopy; when retracted, they collapse compactly for storage. The pivotal connection maintains structural integrity during both states, resolving the contradiction between collapsibility for storage and reliability during use
Solution Approach 2:
The canopy structure is divided into separable components including multiple support arms that can independently pivot and collapse. This segmentation allows each arm to be collapsed individually for compact storage while maintaining the overall structural reliability when deployed, as each segment can independently support the canopy load
3Adaptability or versatility
If the canopy is designed with multiple positioning options (overhead, behind chair, intermediate), then the adaptability of the system is improved, but the device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The support arms are designed with universal pivot connections that enable the same structural component to achieve multiple positioning configurations (overhead, behind chair, and intermediate positions). This multi-functionality resolves the contradiction by providing positioning flexibility through a relatively simple pivotal mechanism rather than requiring complex separate mechanisms for each position
Data Source
AI summary
An exemplary embodiment providing one or more improvements includes a frame which attaches to outdoor furniture, in particular to a chair, and a canopy. Embodiments can be moved from an overhead position to a behind the chair position. The frames can be moved from a collapsed to a fully extended position. In embodiments the canopy can be positioned to contain the collapsed frame and chair in the carrying position.