Collapsible artistic sculpture and method of making the same

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Solution Overview

Problem

Existing extensible sculptures are costly, complex to manufacture, and prone to quality issues during production.

Innovation Solution

A method involving flexible material sheets cut into sculptural pieces with offset connection columns and connectors, such as adhesives or mechanical fasteners, to assemble an extensible sculpture.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Reliability

If traditional manufacturing methods are used for extensible sculptures, then the sculptures achieve structural integrity, but the manufacturing cost increases and manufacturing complexity increases

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvestructural integrityVSAvoidmanufacturing cost

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSEase of manufacture

Solution Approach 1:

The sculpture is divided into multiple modular segments or panels that can be manufactured separately and then assembled together. Each segment contains integrated connection elements, allowing the sculpture to be built from standardized reusable components that maintain structural integrity while reducing overall manufacturing complexity and cost.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

Connection elements are designed to serve multiple functions: they join structural components, provide adjustment mechanisms, and enable disassembly/reassembly. These universal connectors can be used across different sculpture configurations and sizes, reducing the need for custom-made parts and lowering manufacturing costs.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #6Universality (Multi-functionality)

2Reliability

If traditional manufacturing methods are used for extensible sculptures, then the sculptures achieve structural integrity, but the manufacturing time increases

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvestructural integrityVSAvoidmanufacturing time

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSProductivity

Solution Approach 1:

Connection elements and mounting features are pre-integrated into the sculpture segments during initial manufacturing, rather than being attached separately during final assembly. This preliminary action reduces on-site construction time while ensuring proper structural alignment and integrity.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #10Preliminary action

Solution Approach 2:

Multiple functions are combined into single integrated components: structural supports incorporate adjustment mechanisms, connection points include alignment features, and panels integrate mounting hardware. This merging reduces the number of separate manufacturing steps and assembly operations required.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #5Merging (Combining)

3Reliability

If traditional manufacturing methods are used for extensible sculptures, then the sculptures achieve structural integrity, but quality issues during manufacture increase

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvestructural integrityVSAvoidquality issues during manufacture

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSManufacturing precision

Solution Approach 1:

Connection elements and critical structural features are designed with localized precision requirements concentrated in specific areas rather than distributed throughout the entire structure. This allows manufacturing processes to focus precision efforts on key connection points while using less demanding processes for other components, reducing overall quality issues.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #3Local quality

Applied Scientific Principles

This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.

Function Achieved in This Case

The method simplifies and reduces the cost of manufacturing extensible sculptures while minimizing quality issues, allowing for easier assembly and increased stability.

Implementation Method 1

using an adhesive to fixedly connect the bottom face of the second sculptural piece to the top face of the first sculptural piece at the first set of connection columns

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectAdhesive: Adhesive

Implementation Method 2

using the adhesive to fixedly connect the bottom face of the third sculptural piece to the top face of the second sculptural piece at the second set of connection columns

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectAdhesive: Adhesive

Data Source

PatentUS12384196B2Collapsible artistic sculpture and method of making the same

Publication Date: 2025.08.12 MA WEN JENNIFER

AI summary

Disclosed is a method of making an extensible sculpture including providing a plurality of flexible material sheets; cutting each of the plurality of flexible material sheets to form a plurality of at least three sculptural pieces; arranging the sculptural pieces in a predetermined order; defining a first set of connection columns on the top face of the first sculptural piece; using a first connector to fixedly connect the bottom face of the second sculptural piece to the top face of the first sculptural piece at the first set of connection columns; defining a second set of connection columns on the top face of the second sculptural piece; and using a second connector to fixedly connect the bottom face of the third sculptural piece to the top face of the second sculptural piece at the second set of connection columns.