Expandable Solar Light Assembly for Compact Transport
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current solar-charged light solutions are expensive and difficult to transport, making them costly to deploy in large numbers, and existing renewable lighting solutions require expensive components and are bulky, posing challenges for easy shipping and storage.
Innovation Solution
An expandable solar light assembly featuring an inflatable and collapsible design with a solar rechargeable light unit, including a photovoltaic panel, battery charger, rechargeable battery, and light emitting diodes, integrated within an expandable bladder for enhanced portability and cost-effectiveness.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If traditional solar-charged light solutions are used, then lighting function is provided, but cost and transport difficulty increase
Solution Approach 1:
The light assembly transitions from a rigid, fixed structure to a dynamic, collapsible structure that can change its volume. The collapsible housing allows the device to be compressed into a compact form for transport and then expanded to its functional form for use, resolving the contradiction between providing reliable lighting and reducing transport difficulty.
Solution Approach 2:
The light assembly components are nested within each other in a collapsible configuration, with internal components arranged to fit within the compressed housing. This nesting approach allows the entire assembly to be reduced to a small fraction of its operational volume during transport, directly addressing the transport difficulty issue.
2Reliability
If renewable lighting solutions are deployed, then sustainable lighting is achieved, but component cost and size increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent employs a collapsible housing made from flexible materials that can be compressed and stored in a compact state. This flexible shell structure reduces the overall weight and volume of the renewable lighting solution while maintaining its sustainability features, directly addressing the weight issue.
Solution Approach 2:
The dynamic collapsible design allows the renewable lighting solution to be lightweight in its collapsed transport state while providing full functionality when deployed, resolving the contradiction between sustainable lighting requirements and weight reduction.
3Use of energy by moving object
If solar rechargeable components are integrated, then energy independence is achieved, but device portability decreases
Solution Approach 1:
The collapsible design enables the energy-independent solar rechargeable device to be easily transported by collapsing it into a compact, portable form. The same structure that provides energy independence when expanded allows for easy portability when collapsed, resolving the contradiction between these two requirements.
Solution Approach 2:
The solar rechargeable components are integrated into segmented, collapsible sections of the housing, allowing the device to be compressed into a portable size for transport while maintaining full energy independence functionality when deployed.
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 solution provides a cost-effective, portable, and efficient lighting solution that can be easily shipped and stored, offering up to 10 hours of use with a long battery life cycle, suitable for disaster relief and everyday use, reducing reliance on non-renewable lighting sources.
Implementation Method 1
a solar rechargeable light assembly joined with the front surface of the inner bladder, the assembly including a photovoltaic panel
Implementation Method 2
a light emitting diode in electrical communication with the rechargeable battery
Implementation Method 3
a reflective surface positioned opposite a light generating assembly to enhance luminosity of the light assembly
Data Source
AI summary
A solar light assembly including an expandable bladder and a solar rechargeable light assembly.