Expandable Protective Enclosure Using Segmented Flexible Panels
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional protective enclosures, such as tarps and rigid structures, fail to provide complete coverage for objects due to their fixed shapes and inability to adapt to various sizes and shapes, and are often costly and difficult to install or store.
Innovation Solution
A configurable protective enclosure composed of releasably secured, flexible panels that can be expanded or contracted using zippers or similar fasteners, allowing for complete enclosure of objects and forming an interior volume with end caps for secure closure.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Object-affected harmful factors
If conventional tarps are used to protect objects, then cost is reduced, but complete enclosure and protection are not achieved
Solution Approach 1:
The protective enclosure is divided into multiple panels that can be assembled together to form a complete enclosure. Each panel can be independently manufactured and then joined using fasteners to create a fully enclosed structure that adapts to various object shapes and sizes.
Solution Approach 2:
The enclosure incorporates expandable and collapsible features that allow it to dynamically adjust its size and shape to fit different objects. The structure can be expanded when needed and collapsed for storage or transport, providing versatility across multiple applications.
2Object-affected harmful factors
If rigid structures are used to provide complete enclosure, then protection is improved, but cost and storage difficulty increase
Solution Approach 1:
The enclosure uses flexible panel materials that can be easily manufactured, transported, and stored. These flexible panels maintain their protective function while being collapsible, unlike rigid structures that require significant space and resources to manufacture and store.
Solution Approach 2:
The expandable and collapsible design allows the structure to transition between a compact storage state and a fully deployed protective state, reducing storage requirements and manufacturing costs while maintaining complete enclosure capability when needed.
3Ease of manufacture
If fixed-shaped enclosures are used, then manufacturing is simplified, but adaptability to different objects is reduced
Solution Approach 1:
By dividing the enclosure into standardized panels that can be assembled in different configurations, the design maintains manufacturing simplicity through repeated use of standard components while achieving adaptability through various assembly arrangements.
Solution Approach 2:
The panel-based design with standardized fasteners creates a universal system where the same components can be used to enclose objects of various sizes and shapes, making the enclosure adaptable to multiple applications without requiring different manufacturing processes.
Data Source
AI summary
An expandable and configurable enclosure that is configured to be envelop at least one object to provide protection thereof wherein said portable enclosure is configured to be assembled into a plurality of alternate shapes and sizes. The portable enclosure of the present invention includes a body wherein the body includes a plurality of panels. The panels of the body are manufactured from a durable flexible material such as but not limited to nylon. The panels include perimeter seams wherein each of the perimeter seams is configured with a fastener. The fasteners are configured to facilitate the operable coupling of a plurality of panels to form a body having an interior volume suitable to accommodate therein a desired object or plurality of objects. The assembled body of the present invention includes at least one end cap member operable to provide access to the interior volume of the body.