Expandable Icicle Light String for Varying Structure Dimensions
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Solution Overview
Problem
Decorative light strings often struggle to adapt to varying dimensions of structures such as house eaves and balcony railings, making it difficult to quickly and easily hang them for festive or decorative purposes.
Innovation Solution
An expandable light string design featuring a flexible backbone cable with conductive wires and a single expandable member that can stretch or contract to accommodate different lengths, allowing for easy installation and adjustment to fit various support structures.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If a fixed-length light string is used, then the manufacturing and installation process is simple, but it cannot adapt to structures of various dimensions
Solution Approach 1:
The light string incorporates an expandable member that can dynamically change its length between a retracted state and an extended state, allowing the same light string to adapt to different structure dimensions. This dynamic transformation capability resolves the contradiction by enabling versatility without requiring multiple fixed-length light strings for different applications.
Solution Approach 2:
The expandable member changes the physical parameter of length, transforming from a retracted length to an extended length. This parameter change allows the light string to accommodate various structure dimensions while maintaining a relatively simple overall structure, thus resolving the contradiction between adaptability and complexity.
2Productivity
If traditional light strings are used, then the structure is simple, but the installation and removal process is time-consuming
Solution Approach 1:
The expandable member enables rapid deployment by transitioning from a compact retracted state to an extended state, significantly reducing the time required for installation. This dynamic expansion capability allows the light string to quickly adapt to the required length, improving installation productivity and reducing time loss.
Solution Approach 2:
The expandable member is pre-configured in a retracted state that is easy to handle and install. Once installed, it can be quickly expanded to the required length, combining the benefits of simple initial installation with rapid adaptation, thus improving overall installation efficiency and reducing time loss.
3Adaptability or versatility
If multiple light strings of different lengths are used to accommodate various structures, then adaptability is improved, but the quantity of light strings and complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The expandable light string serves multiple functions by being able to adjust its length to fit different structure dimensions. Instead of requiring multiple specialized light strings for different applications, a single expandable light string can universally adapt to various dimensions, reducing the quantity of light strings needed while maintaining high adaptability.
Solution Approach 2:
The invention combines multiple length configurations into a single light string by integrating the expandable member. This merging of multiple functions (different lengths) into one device eliminates the need to store and manage multiple separate light strings, reducing quantity while preserving versatility.
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
Enables quick and easy hanging of light strings on structures of varying dimensions, providing a flexible and adaptable solution for decorating without the need for complex installation processes.
Implementation Method 1
The expandable member is configured to expand, in response to a tensile force applied to first and second ends of the single expandable member, so that a length between the first and second ends of the single expandable member increases
Data Source
AI summary
Apparatus and associated methods relate to an expandable light string that can span various length dimensions. The expandable light string has a flexible backbone cable, a plurality of lighting elements and single expandable member. The flexible backbone cable has a plurality of conductive wires extending and providing electrical conduction along a length between a first end and a second end of the flexible backbone cable. Each of the plurality of lighting elements is conductively coupled to at least two of the plurality of conductive wires of the flexible backbone cable so as to illuminate in response to receiving electrical operating power therefrom. The single expandable member is coupled at a plurality of coupling locations to the flexible backbone cable along the length thereof. The single expandable member is configured to expand or contract so as to change a length dimension of the expandable light string.