Magnetic Pin Holder With Telescopic Shell
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing pin holding systems, such as pin cushions and Fred's Heads-Up Magnetic Pin Wells, lack a secure top system and means for pin retraction during storage, making them unsuitable for travel and prone to pin displacement.
Innovation Solution
A container system with telescopic sidewalls made of concentric cylinder sections that expand and lock for access, featuring a removable cap and a shell that moves along a vertical axis to accommodate open and closed positions, ensuring pins are not disturbed during transport.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If a static pin well structure is used, then the device is simple, but pins cannot be securely retained during transport and are prone to displacement
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies the dynamics principle by implementing a telescopic shell structure that transitions between extended and retracted positions. The shell moves along vertical guide posts and is secured by set screws, transforming a static pin well into a dynamic system. When retracted, the shell provides secure pin retention during transport; when extended, it allows easy pin access. This dynamic adjustment resolves the contradiction between pin retention security and structural simplicity.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent segments the pin well structure into distinct functional components: the base, the telescopic shell, the guide posts, and the set screw mechanism. This segmentation allows each component to perform its specific function independently while contributing to the overall pin retention system. The modular design enables the shell to be adjusted and secured separately, providing reliable pin retention without requiring a completely complex integrated structure.
2Reliability
If a secure lid system is added to prevent pin displacement, then pin retention improves, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The telescopic shell itself acts as a dynamic securing mechanism that eliminates the need for a separate lid. By retracting the shell, pins are enclosed and secured during transport; by extending it, pins become accessible. This dynamic approach provides pin retention security through the shell's position rather than through a additional lid structure, thereby improving reliability while minimizing increases in device complexity.
3Ease of operation
If telescopic sidewalls are implemented for easy access, then ease of operation improves, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The telescopic shell structure provides ease of operation by allowing the user to extend the shell for pin access and retract it for secure storage. The simplicity of the extension mechanism, using guide posts and set screws, keeps the overall structural complexity manageable while achieving the desired operational convenience.
Solution Approach 2:
The telescopic shell is nested within the base structure, with the shell sliding along the guide posts that are integrated into the base. This nesting arrangement allows the telescopic functionality to be incorporated without requiring entirely separate external components, thereby improving ease of operation while limiting the increase in overall device complexity.
4Productivity
If pins are stored in an exposed position for quick extraction, then productivity improves, but pin displacement during transport increases
Solution Approach 1:
The dynamic telescopic shell allows the pin storage position to be adjusted between exposed and enclosed states. When extended, pins are in an exposed position for quick extraction, improving productivity. When retracted, pins are enclosed and protected from displacement, improving reliability. This dynamic positioning resolves the contradiction between extraction speed and position stability.
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
The system allows for safe and efficient pin storage and transport by maintaining pin position and preventing jostling, with the telescopic design enabling easy access and secure closure.
Implementation Method 1
Magnetic pin holder
Data Source
AI summary
A pin cup that may be disposed within a shell, with the shell moving along a vertical axis to accommodate an open or closed position. In an open position the shell may lower, exposing the pins in the pin cup. In a closed position the shell may raise, so as not to disturb the pins in the pin cup, but to allow the lid to cover the pins in a position above the pins. A disclosed embedment (100) may comprise a lid (110) a shell (120) a pin cup (130) and other components. Outer surfaces of a pin cup may interact with inner surfaces of a shell so as to allow the pin cup to lock in a lower position, travel to an upper position, lock in the upper position and be toolessly removed from the shell.