Motorized Tree Stand with Ball Screw Drive
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional tree stands are fixed and require climbing, limiting accessibility for hunters with physical disabilities and offering no safe way to descend in case of a fall, which can lead to injury or missed hunting opportunities due to inadequate positioning.
Innovation Solution
A motorized tree stand with a frame assembly that allows vertical movement and rotation, equipped with a controller for easy operation, enabling hunters to safely climb up and down and change positions without compromising safety.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If conventional fixed tree stands are used, then the structure is simple and stable, but accessibility is limited to hunters with good physical ability and positioning flexibility is lost
Solution Approach 1:
The tree stand employs motorized drive assemblies that enable dynamic movement of the seat assembly both vertically along the frame and horizontally for rotation. This transforms the static fixed stand into a dynamic system that can adapt its position, allowing hunters to move to optimal shooting positions while maintaining structural stability through controlled motorized actuation.
Solution Approach 2:
The frame assembly serves multiple functions: it provides structural support, guides vertical movement through drive tracks, enables rotation through lateral rail movement, and incorporates safety features. This multi-functionality allows a single structure to address both positioning flexibility and structural stability requirements.
2Ease of operation
If motorized drive assemblies are added to enable movement, then accessibility and positioning flexibility improve, but device complexity and cost increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces manual climbing mechanisms with motorized drive assemblies. Motors provide automated propulsion for vertical ascent and descent, eliminating the need for physical climbing efforts. This substitution significantly improves ease of operation for hunters with physical limitations while the modular motor design helps manage system complexity.
Solution Approach 2:
Drive assemblies act as intermediary components between the control system and the seat assembly. These intermediaries translate electrical signals into mechanical movement, providing a buffer that simplifies the control interface while managing the complexity of motorized actuation through standardized mechanical interfaces.
3Productivity
If the stand allows rotation and movement, then hunting opportunities increase, but safety risks from falling increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent incorporates safety harnesses and restraint systems that provide protective cushioning before a fall can occur. These safety features are pre-installed and automatically engage to prevent catastrophic falls, allowing hunters to freely move and rotate within safe boundaries while mitigating the primary safety risk.
Solution Approach 2:
The drive system includes controlled deceleration and stopping mechanisms that prevent accidental over-movement or uncontrolled falling. Motors provide regulated motion control that counteracts potential harmful movements before they can cause injury, enabling productive movement while preemptively neutralizing fall risks.
Data Source
AI summary
A motorized tree stand includes a frame assembly for attachment to a tree. The frame assembly includes a rear wall that includes a vertical drive track and at least one vertical gliding rail spaced laterally therefrom. A seat assembly is operatively coupled to the rear wall of the frame assembly and provides a seat on which a user can sit. A first drive assembly is coupled to the seat assembly and includes a ball screw drive mechanism to controllably move the seat assembly in a vertical direction along the frame assembly. A second drive assembly can be coupled to a swivel plate for controllably moving the swivel plate resulting in swiveling of the seat assembly relative to the frame assembly. A controller and a power source are also provided.