Flashlight Mount With Flexible Mast And Rotatable Joints
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing flashlight mounts are not flexible enough to be effectively used in confined spaces and are not hands-free, limiting their usability in various applications.
Innovation Solution
A hands-free, portable flashlight mount featuring a suction cup base, a modular, flexible mast, a rotatable elbow joint, and a clamp adaptor with interlocking grooves, allowing the flashlight to be positioned in any orientation and securely attached to smooth surfaces.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If a traditional flashlight mount is used, then the structure is simple, but the flexibility and adaptability are insufficient for confined spaces
Solution Approach 1:
The flashlight mount is divided into multiple modular segments including a suction cup base, extendable mast sections, an elbow joint, and a clamp adaptor. Each segment can be independently positioned or adjusted, enabling the mount to adapt to various confined spaces while maintaining manageable structural complexity through standardized connection interfaces
Solution Approach 2:
The mount incorporates dynamic elements including an extendable mast with adjustable length, a rotatable elbow joint providing multi-axis movement, and a rotatable clamp adaptor. These dynamic features enable the structure to flex and reposition itself to reach confined areas, transforming a rigid simple structure into an adaptable system
2Length of moving object
If the mast is made extendable to reach confined areas, then the positioning flexibility improves, but the device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The mast is constructed from multiple telescoping or articulating segments that can be extended or retracted. Each segment connects through standardized joints, allowing the overall length to be adjusted to reach confined spaces while maintaining structural integrity through modular design principles
Solution Approach 2:
The extendable mast utilizes a nested configuration where smaller mast sections are housed within larger sections. This nested doll approach allows the mast to compactly store when retracted and extend to required lengths when needed, managing the complexity of variable length through space-efficient nesting
3Adaptability or versatility
If the elbow joint and clamp adaptor are made rotatable, then the orientation flexibility improves, but the device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The elbow joint and clamp adaptor incorporate rotational degrees of freedom that allow dynamic repositioning. The joint mechanisms enable the clamp to orient in multiple directions and the adaptor to rotate independently, providing comprehensive orientation flexibility through controlled mechanical dynamics
Solution Approach 2:
The rotatable clamp adaptor serves multiple functions: it secures the flashlight, provides rotational adjustment for orientation, and interfaces with the extendable mast through standardized connections. This multi-functionality reduces overall system complexity by combining several capabilities into a single universal component
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 flexible positioning and secure attachment of flashlights to any smooth surface, providing hands-free operation and adjustable length, enhancing usability in confined areas.
Implementation Method 1
a suction cup base
Data Source
AI summary
A flashlight mount is provided comprising a modular, flexible mast capable of being positioned in any orientation, a clamp adaptor attached to an elbow joint at a first end of the flexible mast wherein a plurality of inner grooves are formed vertically on an inside surface wherein the elbow joint is rotatable 360 degrees relative to the flexible mast and wherein the clamp adaptor is rotatable 360 degrees relative to the elbow joint, and an inner ring having a plurality of outer grooves formed vertically on an outside surface of the inner ring wherein the inner grooves and outer grooves interlock wherein the inner ring is rotatable 360 degrees with respect to the clamp adaptor and an opening in the inner ring is configured to hold a flashlight.