Grave Lantern Sliding Side Walls and Drainage
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing grave lantern designs often require complex hinge mechanisms for accessing the interior, which can be cumbersome and prone to issues like rainwater accumulation and soiling, and do not allow for easy replacement or customization of side walls.
Innovation Solution
A grave lantern design featuring sliding guides on the base and cover with curved side walls that eliminate the need for hinges, incorporating drainage holes to prevent water accumulation and facilitate easy access and replacement of side walls, allowing for a simple and aesthetically pleasing structure with all sides accessible.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If hinge mechanisms are used to connect side walls, then the side walls can be opened for access, but the construction becomes complex and prone to rainwater accumulation and soiling
Solution Approach 1:
The patent removes the hinge mechanism entirely from the design. Instead of using hinges to connect side walls to the base, the invention uses simple sliding guides that allow side walls to be easily removed and reinstalled without any complex mechanical joints, thereby eliminating the source of rainwater accumulation and soiling while maintaining ease of access.
Solution Approach 2:
The side walls are designed as separate, replaceable components that can be individually removed through sliding guides. This segmentation allows each side wall to be independently accessed, cleaned, or replaced without affecting the entire structure, simplifying maintenance while preserving operational ease.
2Adaptability or versatility
If traditional side wall connections are used, then structural stability is maintained, but replacement and customization of side walls becomes difficult
Solution Approach 1:
The side walls are designed with dynamic characteristics through the sliding guide mechanism, allowing them to be easily moved between installed and removed states. This dynamic design enables simple replacement and customization while the guides themselves provide the necessary structural stability when side walls are in place.
Solution Approach 2:
The sliding guides act as intermediary elements between the base and side walls, providing a simple yet effective connection that allows for easy removal and reinstallation. These guides maintain structural stability during normal use while enabling straightforward replacement when needed.
3Ease of operation
If sliding guides are added to enable side wall movement, then access is improved, but the base structure becomes more complex
Solution Approach 1:
Rather than making the entire base structure complex, the sliding guides are implemented as localized features only where side walls need to be accessed. This local quality approach adds minimal complexity only to the necessary areas while keeping the rest of the base simple and straightforward.
4Reliability
If drainage holes are added to prevent water accumulation, then reliability is improved, but the base structure becomes more complex
Solution Approach 1:
The drainage holes enable the base structure to self-manage water accumulation by allowing rainwater and meltwater to drain naturally through gravity. This self-service feature improves reliability by preventing water-related issues without requiring additional active components or complex water management systems.
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
This design provides a straightforward construction, easy access to the interior, and allows for the replacement of side walls, ensuring the lantern remains functional and visually appealing while preventing water-related issues.
Implementation Method 1
a groove base of the groove in the base is provided with at least one drainage hole that completely penetrates the base
Implementation Method 2
The sliding guides are designed as grooves in the base or in the cover, and the at least one side wall is plate-shaped, in particular a glass plate
Data Source
Figure 1
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AI summary
The lantern (10) has two sidewalls (20) extending between a triangular lantern bottom (12) and a triangular lid (14). Sliding guides are respectively formed in the bottom and the lid. The sliding guides are facing each other. The side walls are displaced in the sliding guides. The sliding guides are designed as curved grooves (22, 24). The sidewalls are designed as curved glass plates. The sliding guides are formed corresponding to the radius of curvature of the sidewalls. The bottom and the lid are formed as single-piece cast parts. The bottom completely passes through a drain hole.