Foldable Tree Skirt with Rigid Panels for Compact Storage
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Solution Overview
Problem
Christmas tree skirts made of rigid materials are difficult to store and retail due to their large size, as they do not easily collapse or fold for space-saving purposes.
Innovation Solution
A foldable tree skirt with enclosed pockets containing rigid panels and attachment devices that allow the skirt to be easily assembled and disassembled, forming a three-dimensional enclosure around the tree stand, and featuring a system of poles and pole connectors to maintain shape, enabling it to be collapsed into a smaller size for storage.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Strength
If rigid materials are used to make tree skirts, then the decorative appearance and structural stability are improved, but the storage space requirement and ease of storage are worsened
Solution Approach 1:
The rigid tree skirt is divided into multiple rigid panels that are separately stored in flexible pockets. Each panel can be independently folded and compressed, allowing the overall structure to be segmented into compact units for storage while maintaining structural integrity when assembled.
Solution Approach 2:
The rigid panels are nested within flexible pockets during storage, with multiple panels stacked or folded inside each other. This nesting arrangement allows the rigid components to be contained within a compact flexible envelope, significantly reducing storage volume while enabling easy deployment by simply removing and assembling the panels.
2Stability of the object's composition
If rigid materials are used to make tree skirts, then the structural stability and shape maintenance are improved, but the ease of manufacture and storage are worsened
Solution Approach 1:
The tree skirt structure is segmented into multiple rigid panels connected by flexible joints or pockets. This segmentation allows each panel to be manufactured separately using standard rigid materials for optimal shape maintenance, while the overall assembly can be folded and stored compactly by collapsing the flexible connection elements.
Solution Approach 2:
The tree skirt incorporates dynamic elements such as flexible pockets and collapsible connections that allow the rigid panels to transition between an expanded operational configuration (maintaining shape) and a compressed storage configuration. The flexible elements enable the rigid structure to adapt its volume without compromising the rigidity of the panels themselves.
Data Source
AI summary
A foldable tree skirt to cover a tree stand for a tree or Christmas tree. The cover includes a plurality of enclosed pockets containing rigid panels therein, and an attachment device for attaching a first end of the cover with a second end of the cover. The cover with the enclosed panels within the pockets of the cover is foldable in a disassemble state. In an assembled state, the cover is releasably secured together to form a three-dimensional enclosure having a substantially continuous sidewall adapted to surround the tree stand of the Christmas tree. The plurality of poles with pole connectors are assembled to removably fit onto the top of the inside sidewall and onto the bottom inside sidewalls of the cover, so as to maintain the three-dimensional shape, i.e. cone shape. The cover can be a single piece that wrappers around the tree stand and/or fits around the tree trunk.