Rotating Sunshade Pane with Vertical-Axis Control for Public Spaces
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Solution Overview
Problem
Public transportation stations and outdoor public spaces often lack adequate sunshades, exposing users to harmful sunlight, especially in areas with physical or technical challenges that prevent shelter installation, leading to adverse health impacts.
Innovation Solution
A sunshade system with a rotating pane mounted on a vertical axis, equipped with a rotation control apparatus that allows for adjustable shade orientation and includes features like braking systems, user-controlled immobilization devices, and indexing mechanisms to ensure safe and controlled rotation, providing partial shade and additional features such as photovoltaic panels and electronic equipment.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Object-affected harmful factors
If a sunshade is installed in an outdoor public space with physical or technical challenges, then users are protected from sunlight, but the installation space is limited and requires overcoming physical constraints
Solution Approach 1:
The sunshade employs a rotating pane mechanism that can dynamically adjust its orientation around a vertical axis. This dynamic capability allows the sunshade to provide effective protection in limited spaces by directing shade where needed rather than requiring a large fixed structure
Solution Approach 2:
The sunshade system is divided into separate functional components: a mounting base fixed to the bottom surface, a vertical rotation axis, and a pane that can rotate independently. This segmentation allows installation in constrained areas while maintaining protective functionality
2Ease of operation
If the pane is made rotatable to provide adjustable shade orientation, then user comfort is improved, but uncontrolled rotation may occur which is inconvenient or dangerous
Solution Approach 1:
The rotation control apparatus provides feedback control by detecting the pane's rotational position and automatically applying braking torque when the pane approaches or exceeds its rotational limits. This feedback mechanism prevents uncontrolled rotation while allowing convenient manual adjustment within the safe range
Solution Approach 2:
The patent replaces purely mechanical friction-based rotation resistance with an active control system that uses sensors, control logic, and regulated braking torque. This substitution provides more reliable control compared to passive mechanical systems, preventing uncontrolled rotation while maintaining ease of operation
3Reliability
If a rotation control apparatus is added to control pane rotation, then uncontrolled rotation is prevented, but the device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The rotation control apparatus is designed to be self-regulating, using automatic feedback control to manage pane rotation without requiring constant user intervention. The system self-adjusts the braking torque based on detected rotational position, reducing the need for complex external control mechanisms
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 sunshade system effectively protects users from sunlight, prevents uncontrolled rotation, and integrates additional functionalities like energy harvesting and information display, enhancing user comfort and safety in public spaces.
Implementation Method 1
a braking device having a braking pad in contact with a circular braking track centered on said axis of rotation
Implementation Method 2
said first immobilization member and said second immobilization member being maintained spaced apart from one another by a compression spring
Implementation Method 3
a return spring biasing the pane in rotation around said axis of rotation toward said rest angular position
Data Source
Figure 1
Figure 2
Figure 3~4
AI summary
A sunshade (5) for an outdoor public space (1), having a pane (6) made from an at least partially opaque material and a mount (7a) adapted to be fixed to the ground (2) and rotatively supporting the pane for rotation about a vertical axis of rotation. The sunshade has a rotation control apparatus adapted to control rotation of the pane.