Modular Stone Columbarium with Interleaved Rotating Blocks
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current columbarium solutions are not designed to meet the needs of cemetery operators, as they are often expensive, require large capital investments, and do not offer flexible modular designs that can be easily scaled or modified to fit different spaces and aesthetics.
Innovation Solution
A modular above-ground columbarium system made from monolithic sections of stone with niches and memorials carved into each block, allowing for easy assembly and disassembly, and enabling operators to order units of various sizes, from single blocks to larger configurations, to suit their needs.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of manufacture
If conventional metal modules with stone veneers are used, then manufacturers can sell specialized products with high profit margins, but operators must buy larger units than they need and tie up capital for decades
Solution Approach 1:
The columbarium is divided into modular units that can be purchased and installed individually. Each module represents a separate capacity unit that can be added or removed as needed, allowing operators to match capacity exactly with demand rather than being forced to purchase large fixed units.
Solution Approach 2:
The system transitions from static, fixed-size columbarium units to a dynamic, scalable configuration where modules can be added, removed, or repositioned. This allows the facility to adapt its capacity over time based on changing demographics and demand patterns.
2Ease of manufacture
If larger columbarium units are purchased to complete the unit, then manufacturers can achieve economies of scale, but operators must tie up capital for decades until units are sold
Solution Approach 1:
By segmenting the columbarium into smaller standardized modules, the system allows operators to purchase only the capacity they need initially. Modules can be manufactured in standard sizes that are efficient to produce, while operators can assemble them in various configurations based on their specific needs, reducing the total capital required upfront.
Solution Approach 2:
Operators can install partial capacity (one or a few modules) rather than being forced to purchase complete large units. This partial implementation allows the facility to become operational immediately with minimal capital, with the option to add modules later as demand arises.
3Ease of manufacture
If conventional columbarium are made in large sizes, then installation costs can be spread across more units, but operators end up purchasing too much capacity and tying up capital
Solution Approach 1:
The columbarium system is segmented into standardized modules that can be installed individually or in small groups. This segmentation allows installation costs to be distributed across smaller, more manageable units rather than requiring large-scale installations, while simultaneously enabling operators to match capacity precisely with their needs through selective module deployment.
4Ease of manufacture
If metal components and stone veneer surfaces are used, then manufacturers can create specialized products, but the internal workings are prone to rust and oxidation and look sloppy after years of use
Solution Approach 1:
The columbarium modules use composite construction combining treated wood or composite materials for internal structures with natural stone veneers for external surfaces. This composite approach provides corrosion and oxidation resistance for the internal components while maintaining the aesthetic appeal and durability of natural stone, eliminating the rust and tarnishing problems of metal alternatives.
Data Source
AI summary
System and for interment of cremated remains with module above-ground columbariums. Columbariums are formed from either a monolithic block of stone or individual blocks that are stacked on top of each other. Spacers may be used between adjacent blocks in the vertical stack to enable two adjacent units to be interleaved. Support rods may extend through interleaved portions to enable adjacent units to be rotated with respect to each other as well as penetrating down into a below-ground foundation to provide resistance to overturning. Modularity may be achieved at the single-block level where each block contains only one niche, minimizing the capital expenditure operators must make to increase capacity for the facility. A separate six-sided columnar columbarium unit may also be provided with faces that alternate between pairs of drilled niches and corresponding memorials. Multiple layers of this may be stacked vertically together. Water or other fluid may flow up through a channel within the vertical column, exiting the top and flowing down over the faces into a catchment basin below where it is captured and recirculated.