Foldable Firehose Winder for Portable Field Deployment
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Solution Overview
Problem
Firefighters face strain on their backs while manually rolling up firehoses after extinguishing fires, and existing hose winders are cumbersome and difficult to carry, deploy, and stow.
Innovation Solution
A portable firehose winder with a foldable structure that can be easily transported and deployed, featuring a winder mechanism with a crank arm, hold-down mechanism, and adjustable width mechanism to facilitate efficient hose winding.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If a hose winder is designed to be functional and effective, then it reduces back strain and improves ease of operation, but it increases device complexity and becomes difficult to carry and stow
Solution Approach 1:
The hose winder is divided into multiple segments that can fold relative to each other. The main body, crank arm, and support structure are segmented to allow compact folding while maintaining full functionality when deployed. This resolves the contradiction by enabling the device to be simple enough to carry when folded but complex enough to effectively wind hoses when used.
Solution Approach 2:
The crank arm and other components are designed to nest within the main body when not in use. The foldable structure allows components to be positioned inside or alongside the main frame, creating a compact stowable configuration that reduces carrying complexity while maintaining operational complexity when deployed.
2Volume of moving object
If a hose winder is designed to be compact and stowable, then it improves ease of carrying and storage, but it reduces structural stability and makes deployment difficult
Solution Approach 1:
The hose winder employs dynamic, foldable joints that transition between compact and extended states. The structure is designed to be stable when deployed through locking mechanisms but can be easily folded into a compact configuration for transport. This dynamic design resolves the contradiction by allowing the same structure to provide both compact storage and structural stability as needed.
3Device complexity
If a hose winder uses a fixed crank arm design, then it simplifies the structure, but it reduces adaptability for different hose sizes and winding requirements
Solution Approach 1:
The crank arm is designed with adjustable length capabilities, allowing it to be modified to suit different hose sizes and winding requirements. This dynamic adjustment feature adds versatility without significantly increasing overall structural complexity, as the adjustment mechanism integrates into the existing crank arm design rather than adding separate components.
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
Reduces back strain by allowing firefighters to easily wind hoses with minimal effort, and the winder's compact design simplifies transportation and deployment.
Implementation Method 1
a spring coupling the horizontal main stay tube and the upper slide hose, the spring urging a downward force onto the firehose
Implementation Method 2
a riser hingeably connected to the tongue, a horizontal main stay tube hingeably connected to the riser
Data Source
AI summary
A portable mechanical firehose winder is described. The firehose winder comprises a foldable structure which can be stored and readily transported in a compact, stowed configuration, but can be unfolded in the field to place the firehose winder into a deployed configuration. The firehose winder has a winder mechanism having two pins for securing a firehose connector is mounted on a plate that can be rotated by hand with a crank arm. The firehose winder also has a firehose hold-down mechanism for holding down a firehose as it traverses the winder as well as an adjustable width mechanism for laterally guiding the firehose into the firehose winder mechanism.