Modular Playground Bracket Assembly for Safer Expansion
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Traditional playgrounds are costly to produce and difficult to expand or modify, requiring a large number of different components and complex assembly processes, which complicates construction and compromises user safety due to protruding fastening means.
Innovation Solution
A modular playground design featuring pillars with a circular cross-sectional area and standardized brackets that attach playground elements in a radial direction, allowing for easy expansion and modification with a reduced number of components, ensuring safety by minimizing protruding parts.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If traditional playgrounds are designed with specific components for each location and user group, then the playground can be customized to meet specific needs, but the production cost increases and the number of different components to be maintained becomes very large
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies universality by designing a standardized bracket system that can be used across all playground configurations. The bracket includes a pillar coupling portion with a curved contact face and boring that can attach to pillars of various heights and positions, and an element coupling portion that can connect different playground elements (slides, swings, climbing structures). This single bracket design replaces the need for multiple specialized brackets, reducing component variety while maintaining adaptability to different playground requirements
Solution Approach 2:
The bracket is segmented into distinct functional portions: the pillar coupling portion for attaching to support structures and the element coupling portion for connecting playground elements. This segmentation allows each portion to be optimized independently while maintaining standardization, enabling the same bracket design to serve multiple functions across different playground configurations without requiring custom components
2Ease of manufacture
If traditional playgrounds use multiple different attachment means with various brackets, clamping bolts, screws, and flanges, then different playground elements can be secured, but the assembly process becomes complicated, work-intensive, and time-consuming
Solution Approach 1:
The patent merges multiple attachment functions into a single integrated bracket design. The bracket combines the pillar coupling portion with the element coupling portion, eliminating the need for separate brackets, clamping bolts, screws, and flanges that were traditionally required. This consolidation simplifies the assembly process by reducing the number of different parts to handle and mount, directly addressing the complexity and time issues
3Reliability
If traditional attachment means protrude from the pillar, then the fastening can be secure, but the safety of users playing or running around the playground is reduced
Solution Approach 1:
The bracket design nests the fastening components within the bracket structure itself. The element coupling portion is positioned inside or integrated with the bracket body, and the pillar coupling portion attaches to the pillar in a way that minimizes external protrusions. This nesting approach maintains secure fastening while reducing exposed sharp edges and protruding parts that could harm users
Data Source
Figure 1~2
Figure 3~5
Figure 6~8
AI summary
The invention relates to a playground comprising a number of pillars of a circular cross sectional area, and a series of playground elements including floor panels and side panels, and a series of brackets for attachment of the playground elements to the pillars. The brackets comprise an element coupling portion adapted to be fastened to a playground element and a pillar coupling portion adapted to be fastened to a side portion of a pillar. Here, the pillar coupling portion comprising a contact face curved to lie against pillar and a boring for receiving a fastening member which is oriented such that the bracket when fastened to the pillar is attached by the fastening member inserted from the bracket and into the pillar in a radial direction of the pillar. The series of brackets comprises brackets with element coupling portions adapted to be fastened to each of the playground elements in the series of playground elements, and all the brackets in the series comprise essentially identical pillar coupling portions such that all the brackets are adapted to be attached to the pillars in the same way. The invention also relates to a method of assembling such a playground. The series of playground elements may include floor panels, side panels, a series of bars of predefined diameters and chains.