Single-Piece Plastic Foldable Articulated Arm
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Solution Overview
Problem
Foldable umbrellas with articulated arms face issues of low strength, rust-prone hinge points, complexity in assembly, high cost, and weight, which affect durability, practicality, and user experience.
Innovation Solution
A foldable articulated arm made from a single piece of plastic material with a system of four-bar linkages, featuring rod-shaped elements, joint elements, and retaining means, including a flexible ribbon and snap-fit coupling, designed to be strong, lightweight, and cost-effective, with reduced assembly complexity.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Weight of moving object
If aluminium arms with reduced sections are used to reduce weight and cost, then the umbrella becomes lighter and more cost-effective, but the strength of the articulated arms particularly in hinge points deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The patent merges multiple components (rod-shaped elements, joint elements, stretching elements, and retaining means) into a single integral piece of plastic material. This consolidation eliminates weak hinge points while maintaining structural strength, as there are no separate joints that could rust or fail. The single-piece construction provides uniform strength throughout the articulated arm while keeping it lightweight.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent uses plastic material to create the articulated arm, replacing traditional aluminium construction. This composite approach allows for an integral design that combines the necessary structural elements into one piece, achieving both weight reduction and improved strength by eliminating joint weaknesses inherent in multi-component metal constructions.
2Strength
If multiple separate components are used to form the articulated arm, then the strength can be increased, but the complexity of assembly increases and requires specific skills and precision
Solution Approach 1:
The patent combines all necessary components (rod-shaped elements, joint elements, stretching elements, and retaining means) into a single integral piece. This eliminates the need for complex assembly of multiple separate parts, removing the requirement for specialized skills and precision assembly while maintaining structural integrity through the unified design.
3Ease of manufacture
If rivets are used to create hinge points, then the articulated arm can be assembled, but the hinge points become prone to rust which impairs strength and functionality
Solution Approach 1:
The patent eliminates rivets and separate hinge points by merging all components into one integral piece of plastic material. This removes the rust-prone metal joints entirely, providing complete resistance to rust while maintaining ease of manufacture through injection molding or similar single-step production processes.
4Strength
If a stronger structure is provided, then the resistance to wind and tilting is improved, but the cost increases and the assembly becomes more complex
Solution Approach 1:
The patent achieves enhanced resistance to wind and tilting by consolidating all structural elements into a single integral piece. This unified construction provides superior strength without increasing the number of pieces, thereby avoiding increased assembly complexity and cost while maintaining durability against environmental forces.
5Weight of moving object
If aluminium material is used for the articulated arm, then the weight is reduced, but the hinge points rust which deteriorates the functionality and aesthetical appearance
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces aluminium with plastic material to create the articulated arm. This substitution eliminates rust-prone metal components entirely while maintaining lightweight properties. The integral plastic construction ensures both functionality and aesthetical appearance remain unaffected by rust or corrosion over time.
Data Source
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AI summary
It is described a foldable articulated arm (1) comprising a first rod- shaped element (2), a second rod- shaped element (3) and a third rod- shaped element (4) foldable one another and at least three stretching element of the rod- shaped elements, arranged to form a system of four - bar linkages, further comprising a plurality of joint elements (8) of the rod- shaped elements and the stretching elements and having, at the opposite ends, retaining means ( 9 ) for a respective combining with a tube and an umbrella sheet, wherein the rod- shaped elements, the joint elements, the stretching elements and the retaining means are all made integral in a single piece of plastic material constituting the foldable articulated arm.