Modular Stage Scenery Kit for Rapid Reconfiguration
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current stage construction methods are time-consuming and expensive due to the difficulty in moving and reconfiguring elaborate set elements, which often require specialized equipment and large storage facilities.
Innovation Solution
An interchangeable kit comprising modular wall, aperture, and floor units with configurable surfaces and connector elements, allowing for quick assembly and disassembly without the need for specialized tools, and enabling easy storage and transportation.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Manufacturing precision
If elaborate set elements are created and joined together to form a unified structure, then the visual quality and realism of the stage scenery is improved, but the time and cost required to set up and break down the structure increases
Solution Approach 1:
The unified set structure is divided into separate modular elements (walls, floors, ceilings, furniture) that can be independently assembled and disassembled. Each module maintains its visual quality while allowing rapid reconfiguration through standardized connection mechanisms, resolving the contradiction between visual realism and setup time.
Solution Approach 2:
Set elements are pre-assembled into complete modular units with all necessary connections and fixtures already in place before arrival at the theater. This preliminary preparation allows the modules to be quickly installed and positioned without requiring time-consuming on-site assembly, thus improving setup speed while maintaining visual quality.
2Stability of the object's composition
If a unified set structure is moved as a unit, then the structural integrity and alignment are maintained, but specialized moving equipment and large storage facilities are required
Solution Approach 1:
The set is segmented into self-contained modular elements that maintain structural integrity independently. Each module is designed to be moved separately using standard equipment, eliminating the need for specialized heavy-lifting equipment while preserving the stability and alignment of individual components through standardized connection interfaces.
Solution Approach 2:
The modular elements are designed with universal connection mechanisms that work with standard theater rigging and moving equipment. This multi-functionality allows the same modules to be moved, stored, and reconfigured using conventional equipment rather than requiring specialized apparatus, reducing device complexity while maintaining structural integrity.
3Adaptability or versatility
If separate wall elements are created for different wall types (masonry, wood, plaster), then the visual variety and realism are improved, but the time and cost to create and move each element increases
Solution Approach 1:
A single modular wall element incorporates multiple different surface treatments (masonry, wood, plaster) on its different faces or sections. This local differentiation allows the same basic module to provide visual variety for different wall types without requiring separate elements for each material, reducing manufacturing complexity and cost while maintaining adaptability.
Solution Approach 2:
The wall modules are designed as universal units that can represent different wall types through interchangeable face panels or surface treatments. This multi-functionality allows one module design to serve multiple visual purposes, eliminating the need to manufacture separate elements for each wall type and thereby reducing both time and cost.
4Manufacturing precision
If elaborate set elements are used, then the visual quality and realism are improved, but the storage space required when not in use increases
Solution Approach 1:
The set is divided into compact modular elements that can be efficiently stacked and stored in minimized space. Each module maintains its visual quality and structural integrity while its segmented design allows for compact arrangement in storage facilities, significantly reducing the volume required compared to storing a complete unified structure.
Solution Approach 2:
Smaller modular elements can be nested within or attached to larger modules during storage, creating a compact hierarchical arrangement. This nesting capability allows elaborate set pieces to be stored in a fraction of the space they would occupy individually, reducing storage volume requirements while preserving the visual quality of each element for future use.
Data Source
AI summary
A wall module assembly usable to make interchangeable scenery, the module comprising a first support member having a first end, a second end, a first main surface, and a second main surface, a second support member having a first end, a second end, a first main surface, and a second main surface, a plurality of panel members interchangeably and removably supported by at least one of the first support member and the second support member, adjacent at least one of the first main surface and the second main surface of the first and/or second support member, and a plurality of connection members supported by the first end of the first support member and configured to be removably received within openings formed in the second end of the second support member positioned adjacent to the first support member.