Illuminated Flag With Internal Wire Routing
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Existing lighted flags face engineering challenges in reliably providing electrical power from a rigid flagpole to a non-rigid flag, leading to unsightly and potentially damaged exposed wires, and the need for a solution that maintains flag appearance and behavior similar to non-illuminated flags.
Innovation Solution
A pliable illuminated flag design with a flag formed from two layers, where lights are embedded between the layers and powered by a wire routed through a discontinuous portion of the flag clamp and into a hollow flagpole, ensuring the wire is obscured and protected.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If an exposed wire is used to provide power from the flag to the power source, then power delivery is achieved, but the appearance becomes unsightly and the wire is subject to damage and tangling
Solution Approach 1:
The wire is nested within the hollow flagpole structure. The flagpole serves as a protective enclosure that houses the wire running from the power source through the flag clamp and along the pole to the flag, eliminating exposed wires while maintaining reliable power delivery.
Solution Approach 2:
The hollow flagpole acts as an intermediary structure that provides a protected pathway for the wire. Instead of the wire being exposed to external environmental factors and mechanical damage, it is routed through the intermediate protective medium of the flagpole's hollow interior.
2Stability of the object's composition
If a rigid flag structure is used to support lights, then structural stability is improved, but the flag loses its traditional appearance and behavior
Solution Approach 1:
The flag is segmented into two separate layers (first layer and second layer) with the lights positioned between them. This segmentation allows the flag to maintain its traditional flexible appearance and behavior while providing a structured framework to support and position the lighting elements.
Solution Approach 2:
The flag structure has different properties at different locations: the outer surfaces maintain traditional flag material properties for appearance and flexibility, while the interior space between layers provides structural support and positioning for the lights. The flag clamp also provides localized structural support at the attachment point without rigidifying the entire flag.
3Shape
If lights are embedded in the flag between two layers, then aesthetic appearance is improved, but the wire routing becomes more complex
Solution Approach 1:
The hollow flagpole serves multiple functions: it provides structural support, acts as a protective enclosure for the wire, and serves as the routing pathway for power delivery. This multi-functionality simplifies the overall system by eliminating the need for separate wire protection and routing structures.
Solution Approach 2:
The wire routing is nested within the existing hollow flagpole structure rather than requiring separate conduits or channels. The flag clamp's notch provides a simple opening point for the wire to exit the flag and enter the pole's interior pathway, simplifying the routing complexity.
Data Source
AI summary
Disclosed is an illuminated flag including a flag, a first layer of the flag, a second layer of the flag, a light disposed between the first layer of the flag and a second layer of the flag, a flag clamp, and a wire extending from the light and into an interior space of the flagpole.