Bracket for a clothesline assembly and a clothesline assembly
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing clothesline assemblies face difficulties in achieving evenly tensioned strand cable sections due to distortion of mounting arms and lack of flexibility to accommodate tension variations between use and storage orientations.
Innovation Solution
A bracket design featuring curved arms with adjustable thread terminals and a triangulated structure that allows for efficient distribution of preloading force, maintaining structural rigidity and preventing distortion, enabling easy tension adjustment and accommodating tension variations.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Manufacturing precision
If straight cable mounting arms are used in existing clothesline assemblies, then the structure is simple and easy to manufacture, but the mounting arms distort under loading during sequential tensioning, making it difficult to achieve evenly tensioned strand cable sections
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies curvature to the first arm of the bracket, transforming it from a straight structural element to a curved one. This curvature allows the arm to better distribute preloading forces along its length, preventing the distortion that occurs in straight arms during sequential tensioning of strand cable sections. The curved geometry provides more uniform stress distribution, enabling even tension distribution across all strand cable sections.
2Stability of the object's composition
If a rigid triangular bracket structure is used, then structural rigidity is high, but the bracket cannot accommodate tension variations between use and storage orientations
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces dynamic characteristics to the bracket by making the first arm curved rather than straight. This curvature allows the bracket to dynamically adapt its stress distribution as it transitions between use orientation (horizontal) and storage orientation (vertical). The curved arm flexes and redistributes forces differently in each orientation, enabling the rigid triangular structure to accommodate tension variations without compromising its overall structural integrity.
3Ease of operation
If straight arms are used in the bracket, then the manufacturing process is simple, but achieving desired tension for each clothesline section is difficult and cumbersome
Solution Approach 1:
While the curved first arm increases manufacturing complexity compared to a straight arm, it dramatically improves ease of operation. The curved geometry is specifically designed to naturally distribute preloading forces evenly during sequential tensioning, eliminating the need for complex adjustment procedures. Users can achieve desired tension for each clothesline section more easily because the curved arm's geometry inherently compensates for tension variations, making the tensioning process more forgiving and less cumbersome.
Data Source
AI summary
A bracket for a clothesline assembly, a clothesline assembly, and a method of fabricating a bracket for a clothesline assembly. The bracket comprises a first arm; and a second arm connected to the first arm at a vertex point such that the first and second arms extend from the vertex point to first and second mounting points of the first and second arms, respectively; wherein each of the first and second arms are configured to be mounted to a support structure at the first and second mounting points, respectively; wherein the first arm is configured to have a plurality of end terminals of respective strand sections connected thereto along a length of the first arm; and wherein the first arm is curved such that a convex surface of the first arm faces away from the second arm and such that the vertex point, the first mounting point and the second mounting point define a triangle in which an internal angle between a side of the triangle defined by the vertex point and the first mounting point, and a base of the triangle defined by the first and second mounting points is less than 90 degrees.