Gas-Driven Pop-Up Lifting Structure for Heavy Vertical Launch

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Solution Overview

Problem

Conventional pop-up apparatuses using springs face safety risks in working environments, require significant time and resources for installation, and struggle to handle increased weights due to spring elasticity limitations.

Innovation Solution

A pop-up apparatus utilizing combustion pressure from a propellant to lift objects, eliminating the need for elastic body compression, featuring a base unit, pop-up unit, connection unit, holder unit, and gas generation unit to control the pop-up process.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Reliability

If a spring is used to pop up the weight, then the pop-up apparatus can generate vertical dynamic motion, but there is a risk to working environments due to spring elasticity and it requires significant time and human resources for installation and disassembly

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveworking environment safetyVSAvoidinstallation and disassembly complexity

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The patent removes the spring component from the pop-up apparatus and replaces it with a weight-driven mechanism. The weight, when dropped, directly activates the pop-up action through gravitational force, eliminating the need for elastic bodies and their associated safety risks and installation complexities

Inventive Principle:

Principle #2Taking out (Extraction)

Solution Approach 2:

The patent substitutes the elastic mechanical system (spring) with a gravitational mechanical system (dropped weight). This replacement changes the fundamental mechanism from elastic recovery to gravitational potential energy conversion, resolving the safety and complexity issues while maintaining the pop-up function

Inventive Principle:

Principle #28Mechanics substitution (Replace mechanical system)

2Weight of moving object

If the weight of the pop-up object increases, then the pop-up apparatus can handle heavier objects, but it becomes difficult to achieve the purpose due to physical limitations of spring elasticity coefficients

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvepop-up object weight capacityVSAvoidpop-up effectiveness

Core Design Contradiction:

Weight of moving objectVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

The patent changes the fundamental parameter from spring elasticity coefficient to gravitational force. By using a dropped weight mechanism, the system can scale to handle heavier objects by simply increasing the mass of the dropped weight, without being constrained by material elasticity limits

Inventive Principle:

Principle #35Parameter changes

Solution Approach 2:

The patent uses a counterweight mechanism where a dropped weight provides the driving force. The gravitational force of the dropped weight counteracts and overcomes the weight of the pop-up object, enabling the system to handle varying weights effectively without relying on elastic body limitations

Inventive Principle:

Principle #8Anti-weight (Counterweight)

3Speed

If a spring is used to pop up the object, then the object can be popped up to the required height, but a lot of time and human resources are required during installation and disassembly processes

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvepop-up speedVSAvoidinstallation and disassembly time

Core Design Contradiction:

SpeedVSLoss of time

Solution Approach 1:

By removing the spring component entirely, the patent eliminates the need for complex installation and disassembly procedures associated with elastic bodies. The weight-driven mechanism uses simple gravitational action that requires minimal setup and teardown time

Inventive Principle:

Principle #2Taking out (Extraction)

Solution Approach 2:

The dropped weight mechanism is self-activating through gravity, requiring no manual activation or complex assembly. The system prepares itself for operation by simply positioning the weight, and the pop-up action occurs automatically when the weight is released, reducing human resource requirements

Inventive Principle:

Principle #25Self-service

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

Facilitates safe and efficient object popping with high-speed vertical motion, reducing installation time and enabling control over pop-up forces, achieving speeds of 7.67 to 8.86 m/s and heights of 2 to 4 meters with weights up to 200 kg.

Implementation Method 1

a gas generation unit arranged inside the base unit and configured to generate gas, wherein internal pressure of the base unit may increase due to the gas generated from the gas generation unit

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectCombustion: Combustion

Implementation Method 2

internal pressure of the base unit may increase due to the gas generated from the gas generation unit and the pop-up unit may be lifted

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectPressure increase: Pressure Increase

Data Source

PatentUS12479709B2Pop-up apparatus

Publication Date: 2025.11.25 AGENCY FOR DEFENSE DEV

AI summary

A pop-up apparatus is provided. The pop-up apparatus includes a base unit arranged on a reference surface and having a hollow portion formed therein, a pop-up unit formed to surround the base unit and reciprocating with respect to the base unit, a connection unit arranged on an upper end of the pop-up unit, a holder unit connected to the pop-up unit by the connection unit and configured to hold an object, and a gas generation unit arranged inside the base unit and configured to generate gas, wherein internal pressure of the base unit may increase due to the gas generated from the gas generation unit and the pop-up unit may be lifted.