Reelable Composite Stand Legs for Compact Field Storage
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional collapsible stands are often heavier, bulkier, and more complex than desired, with issues related to portability, storability, and robustness, particularly when used in the field, and they often require multiple moving parts and tools for assembly and disassembly.
Innovation Solution
A collapsible stand featuring bistable reelable composite legs that can be coiled around a head unit for compact storage, made from fibre-reinforced polymer composites and moulded plastics or metallic alloys, with a simplified mechanism and minimal moving parts, allowing for easy portability and robust construction.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Volume of moving object
If conventional telescopic legs are used for portability, then the stand can be collapsed, but the stand becomes heavier and bulkier
Solution Approach 1:
The patent employs fibre-reinforced polymer composite materials for the leg structures. These composite materials provide high strength-to-weight ratio and high stiffness-to-weight ratio, enabling the legs to be both lightweight and mechanically robust. The composite construction allows the legs to maintain structural integrity during telescopic extension and retraction while significantly reducing overall weight compared to conventional metal telescopic legs.
Solution Approach 2:
The legs are divided into multiple telescopic segments that can extend and retract relative to each other. This segmentation allows the leg length to be adjusted for different support heights and stability requirements, while also enabling the legs to collapse into a compact form for portability. The segmented structure with sliding interfaces provides both functionality and compactness.
2Volume of moving object
If multiple moving parts are used for collapsibility, then the stand can be compacted, but the device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent employs dynamic telescopic mechanisms where the leg segments can slide in and out of each other along guide rails. The telescopic sections are connected through simple sliding interfaces with retaining features, allowing smooth extension and retraction without complex locking mechanisms. This dynamic design enables compact storage while maintaining structural stability during use.
Solution Approach 2:
The telescopic leg structure follows a nested arrangement where smaller diameter segments are placed inside larger diameter segments. When collapsed, the leg segments nest within each other like dolls, achieving maximum compactness. The nested structure naturally provides guidance and alignment, reducing the need for additional complex positioning mechanisms.
3Stability of the object's composition
If robust construction is used for stability, then the stand is more stable, but the stand becomes heavier
Solution Approach 1:
The fibre-reinforced polymer composite materials provide exceptional strength-to-weight and stiffness-to-weight ratios. The composite construction with strategically oriented fibre reinforcement delivers high structural rigidity and load-bearing capacity necessary for stability, while keeping the weight significantly lower than conventional metal constructions. The composite legs resist bending and deformation under equipment loads.
Solution Approach 2:
The stand structure employs local quality optimization where different sections of the legs and support structures have varying wall thicknesses and reinforcement patterns. Critical load-bearing areas have enhanced structural features, while non-critical areas are minimized in mass. This localized strengthening provides necessary stability without uniformly increasing weight throughout the entire structure.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
The stand achieves a significantly smaller volume for storage, is lighter and more robust, and has a longer lifespan due to reduced stress during coiling/uncoiling, while maintaining adjustability and stability, thus addressing the challenges of size, weight, and complexity in existing stands.
Implementation Method 1
each leg comprises a bistable reelable composite member having a first stable form in the form of an elongate slit tube in which form the member is resiliently biased and acts as a leg, and wherein when removed from the socket, the tube can be opened out at the slit at an end and progressively coiled to reversibly attain a second stable form in the form of a coil
Implementation Method 2
bistable reelable composite member having a first stable form... and a second stable form
Data Source
AI summary
The present invention relates to a collapsible stand, a kit for a collapsible stand and to associated methods and apparatus. The collapsible stand is intended for supporting an object, and includes a head unit comprising a fixture for attaching to the object, and one or more leg sockets; and one or more legs proximal ends of which are reversibly received in the respective leg sockets. Each leg comprises a bistable reelable composite member having a first stable form in the form of an elongate slit tube in which form the member is resiliently biased and acts as a leg. When removed from the socket, the tube can be opened out at the slit at an end and progressively coiled to reversibly attain a second stable form in the form of a coil. The coil defines an internal space for accommodating at least part of the head unit.