Collapsible Anchor With Nested Arms for Compact Storage
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional anchors with outwardly extending arms and flukes are cumbersome to handle, transport, and store, and their weight makes them difficult to transport over land, especially when moving a watercraft from one body of water to another.
Innovation Solution
A collapsible anchor design featuring an elongated hollow member with slots and orthogonal arms that can be inserted into the member for compact storage, allowing for easy assembly and disassembly without tools, with flukes or hooks for engaging the water bed.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If conventional anchor design with outwardly extending arms and flukes is used, then anchoring capability is maintained, but ease of transport and storage deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The anchor is divided into separate components: a hollow cylindrical body and detachable arms with flukes. The arms can be removed from the body, allowing the anchor to be transported in a compact form and assembled only when needed for anchoring.
Solution Approach 2:
The arms are designed to nest within the hollow cylindrical body when not in use. The cylindrical body serves as a container that holds the arms in a compact configuration, significantly reducing the overall size for transport and storage.
2Ease of operation
If conventional anchor design with outwardly extending arms and flukes is used, then anchoring capability is maintained, but ease of storage deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The anchor is divided into separate components: a hollow cylindrical body and detachable arms with flukes. The arms can be removed from the body, allowing the anchor to be stored in a compact form and assembled only when needed for anchoring.
Solution Approach 2:
The arms are designed to nest within the hollow cylindrical body when not in use. The cylindrical body serves as a container that holds the arms in a compact configuration, significantly reducing the overall size for transport and storage.
3Ease of operation
If conventional anchor design with outwardly extending arms and flukes is used, then anchoring capability is maintained, but handling difficulty increases
Solution Approach 1:
The anchor is divided into separate components: a hollow cylindrical body and detachable arms with flukes. The arms can be removed from the body, allowing the anchor to be handled in a compact form and assembled only when needed for anchoring.
Solution Approach 2:
The arms are designed to nest within the hollow cylindrical body when not in use. The cylindrical body serves as a container that holds the arms in a compact configuration, significantly reducing the overall size for transport and storage.
Data Source
AI summary
An apparatus includes an elongated, hollow member; a cap; and a pair of arms. The elongated, hollow member has a first closed end and a second open end, wherein the second open end includes a plurality of slots therein. The cap is configured for detachable attachment to the second open end. The pair of arms is configured to fit into the elongated, hollow member in a first configuration. The pair of arms is configured for insertion into the plurality of slots in a second configuration, wherein one of the pair of arms is oriented substantially orthogonally to the other of the pair of arms. A method of using an anchor includes inserting a pair of arms into the elongated, hollow member; and closing the second open end with a cap configured for detachable attachment to the second open end.