Flexible Roof With Segmented Triangular Valleys
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing roof solutions fail to efficiently channel rainwater to the edges without interior supports, leading to sagging and ineffective water removal from covered areas like kennels during inclement weather.
Innovation Solution
A flexible, waterproof roof constructed from interconnected triangular sections with base edges longer than the imaginary straight lines connecting corners, forming design-integrated rain valleys that channel water to the edges when suspended, secured by perimeter supports without the need for interior supports.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If a flexible sheet is suspended to form a roof without interior supports, then the roof is portable and easy to install, but the sheet sags and cannot effectively channel rainwater to the edges
Solution Approach 1:
The roof sheet is divided into multiple triangular sections joined at their vertices to form a polyhedral structure. This segmentation creates inherent rigidity and geometric stability without requiring interior supports, allowing the flexible sheet to maintain its shape and effectively channel rainwater to the edges while remaining portable and easy to install.
2Reliability
If the base edges of triangular sections are made longer than the straight line distance between corners, then rain valleys are formed to channel water, but the sheet cannot be stretched flat for storage
Solution Approach 1:
The roof structure is designed to be dynamic rather than rigid - the flexible sheet can be extended into a polyhedral shape with elongated base edges that create rain valleys for effective water channeling, then collapsed back into a compact flat package for storage and transport. This dynamic transformation allows the structure to achieve its functional form only when deployed.
3Ease of manufacture
If the roof is made from a simple flat sheet, then it is easy to manufacture and store, but it sags in the center and cannot direct water to the edges
Solution Approach 1:
The flat sheet is transformed into a polyhedral structure with curved surfaces formed by the triangular sections. The base edges of these sections are elongated beyond the straight-line distance between corners, creating natural curvature and slope that directs water toward the edges. This geometric transformation provides effective drainage while maintaining relative simplicity of manufacture.
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 self-supporting, portable, and adjustable roof that effectively directs rainwater and snow off the edges, protecting the covered area while being easy to install, remove, and store, with the added benefit of sun protection.
Implementation Method 1
design-integrated rain valleys are formed that channel rain water to and off the outside edges of the roof during inclement weather
Data Source
AI summary
A roof that comprises a flexible, sun and rain resistant sheet constructed such that when suspended and extended to form the roof, design-integrated rain valleys are formed that channel water to and off the outside edges of the roof.