Knitted-Seam Bladder Structure for Predictable Volume Collapse
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Solution Overview
Problem
Bladders often occupy the same volume whether full or empty, making storage and transport inefficient.
Innovation Solution
A bladder with a bladder wall and knitted seams stitched into a specific pattern that allows the bladder to collapse into a smaller shape when subjected to a compressive force, such as a vacuum.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Volume of moving object
If the bladder is made with conventional seamless construction, then it maintains structural integrity and burst strength, but it occupies the same volume whether full or empty, making storage and transport inefficient
Solution Approach 1:
The bladder incorporates knitted seams that segment the bladder wall into controlled folding zones. These seams allow the bladder to be divided into foldable sections that can collapse together, reducing storage volume while maintaining structural integrity when inflated. The segmentation enables the bladder to fold predictably without compromising burst strength during operation.
Solution Approach 2:
The bladder transitions from a rigid, fixed-volume structure to a dynamic, collapsible structure through the knitted seam design. The seams enable the bladder to dynamically change its configuration between full and collapsed states, allowing volume reduction for storage while maintaining structural integrity during use. This dynamic capability resolves the contradiction between storage efficiency and structural strength.
2Productivity
If the bladder is compressed for storage, then storage space is optimized, but conventional bladders still occupy undesirable volume when empty
Solution Approach 1:
The knitted seams are pre-configured in specific patterns during manufacturing to create predetermined fold lines and collapse paths. This preliminary structuring ensures that when the bladder is emptied, it automatically collapses into a compact configuration rather than maintaining its original volume, significantly improving storage efficiency without requiring external compression forces.
Solution Approach 2:
The bladder utilizes flexible knitted fabric construction with integrated seams that allow the shell to collapse and conform to a compact shape. The flexible nature of the knitted material enables the bladder to reduce its volume dramatically when empty while maintaining durability and structural integrity when inflated, resolving the volume contradiction.
3Volume of moving object
If knitted seams are stitched into the bladder wall, then the bladder can collapse into a smaller shape, but the manufacturing process becomes more complex
Solution Approach 1:
The knitted seams are integrated directly into the bladder manufacturing process rather than being added as separate components. The seam patterns are incorporated into the knitting process itself, combining the seam creation and bladder formation into a single manufacturing operation. This merging reduces overall manufacturing complexity despite the added functionality of collapsible seams.
Solution Approach 2:
The manufacturing process utilizes changes in knitting parameters (stitch patterns, thread tension, needle configuration) to create the collapsible seam structures directly during bladder production. By adjusting these parameters, the complex seam patterns are formed as an inherent part of the manufacturing process rather than requiring separate assembly steps, thereby reducing manufacturing complexity.
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
Enables the bladder to reduce its volume significantly when empty or less full, optimizing storage and transport space without compromising burst strength.
Implementation Method 1
knitted seams stitched into a first pattern in the bladder wall. The first pattern is configured such that when the bladder wall is subjected to a compressive force, the bladder collapses into a first pre-determined shape
Data Source
AI summary
A bladder. The bladder includes a bladder wall include first dimensions. The bladder also includes a first port disposed in the bladder wall. The bladder also includes knitted seams stitched into a first pattern in the bladder wall. The first pattern is configured such that when the bladder wall is subjected to a compressive force, the bladder collapses into a first pre-determined shape that has second dimensions less than the first dimensions.