Retractable Support System for Load Distribution and Access
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Existing carrying devices, such as backpacks, face challenges in providing quick and ready access to equipment like firearms while minimizing noise and delay, and in efficiently distributing and balancing large loads during movement, especially in outdoor activities like hunting and camping.
Innovation Solution
The implementation of a retractable support system with a non-compressible material loop and a cord mechanism that allows for one-handed deployment and stowage, combined with a frame assembly that transfers load from the shoulders to the waist, using flexible rods and adjustable straps for improved weight distribution.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If equipment is stowed in sheaths on the backpack, then the equipment is protected and organized, but the user cannot readily access the equipment and must place it away from hands
Solution Approach 1:
The retractable loop is pre-positioned and held in a ready state within the waist belt, allowing immediate deployment when needed. The equipment can be quickly retrieved by simply pulling the loop outward, eliminating the time-consuming process of opening sheaths or unfastening straps.
Solution Approach 2:
The loop transitions from a retracted state (stored within the waist belt) to an extended state (available for equipment support). This dynamic configuration allows the system to adapt between a compact storage mode and an accessible equipment-carrying mode, providing both protection and quick access.
2Weight of moving object
If a rigid external frame is used to handle larger loads, then load capacity increases, but load distribution and balancing problems persist
Solution Approach 1:
The system changes the flexibility parameter of the frame structure by using flexible stays instead of rigid members. These stays can bend and flex to adapt to the user's body movements and hip motion, dynamically adjusting load distribution while maintaining adequate load-bearing capacity.
Solution Approach 2:
The flexible stays act as flexible structural elements that replace rigid frame members. They provide the necessary structural support while allowing movement and adaptation to the user's anatomy, improving comfort and load distribution through their flexibility.
3Reliability
If the retractable loop is made of non-compressible material, then equipment support stability improves, but the loop may snag or create obstruction when not in use
Solution Approach 1:
The loop is extracted from a permanent external position and instead is retractable into the waist belt when not in use. This removes the potential hazard of snagging or obstruction while maintaining the loop's availability for equipment support when needed.
Solution Approach 2:
The loop transitions between retracted and extended states, being dynamic rather than static. When retracted, it is hidden within the waist belt and cannot cause snagging. When extended, it provides stable equipment support. This dynamic behavior resolves the contradiction between stability and snagging risk.
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 retractable support system enables quick access to equipment without snagging or obstruction, while the frame assembly reduces strain and fatigue by efficiently transferring load to the waist, allowing for comfortable carrying of larger loads.
Implementation Method 1
the loop is made of a non-compressible material and is flexible
Implementation Method 2
a cord within an internal compartment, and the cord is configured to pull the retractable loop toward the retracted position
Implementation Method 3
a frame assembly that transfers load from the shoulders to the waist, using flexible rods and adjustable straps for improved weight distribution
Data Source
AI summary
A carrying device includes a retractable support system for equipment carried in the hand. In some embodiments, the carrying device comprises a frame assembly for transporting larger loads and optimizing the weight distribution thereof. In some embodiments, the carrying device includes a support shelf. In some embodiments, the carrying device includes an expandable volume.