Sand Anchor Device With Pivoting Base and Threaded Post
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing anchor devices for securing umbrellas in sand are either heavy and difficult to transport, susceptible to being pulled out by strong winds, or require laborious digging for removal.
Innovation Solution
A lightweight anchor device with a post and base that can be easily locked into shovel, anchor, or storage positions, allowing for secure anchoring in sand without needing to be dug up, featuring a pivotally connected design for easy removal.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If a pointed stake is driven into sand to secure an umbrella, then the umbrella can be anchored in sand, but the pointed end is susceptible to being pulled out easily by strong winds
Solution Approach 1:
The anchor device is divided into two main segments: a base member that remains buried in the sand and a post member that extends above the surface. This segmentation allows the base to provide stable anchoring while the post can be easily removed by unscrewing, resolving the contradiction between reliable anchoring and easy removal.
Solution Approach 2:
The connection between the base member and post member is made dynamic through a threaded interface that allows the post to be screwed into and out of the base. This dynamic connection enables the anchor to transition from a fixed anchored state to a removable state without requiring digging, thus resolving the contradiction between secure anchoring and ease of removal.
2Reliability
If weights are added to the base of an umbrella to hold it in place, then the umbrella is more stable, but the device becomes heavy and difficult to transport
Solution Approach 1:
Instead of adding weight to the umbrella base to counteract wind forces, the invention uses the sand itself as the counterweight by burying the base member in the sand. The sand provides the necessary stability and resistance to wind forces, eliminating the need for additional heavy weights while maintaining reliability.
Solution Approach 2:
The sand environment serves the dual function of both anchoring medium and stabilizing weight. The base member buried in sand utilizes the sand's own weight and friction to provide stability, rather than requiring the anchor device to carry its own weight for stability, thus reducing transport weight while maintaining reliability.
3Reliability
If an anchor device is buried in sand for secure anchoring, then the umbrella is firmly anchored, but the anchor device requires laborious digging for removal
Solution Approach 1:
The anchor device is segmented into a base member that is buried for secure anchoring and a post member that remains accessible above ground. This segmentation allows the buried portion to provide reliable anchoring while the exposed post can be easily unscrewed and removed without digging, resolving the contradiction between anchoring security and removal ease.
Solution Approach 2:
The threaded connection between the base member and post member creates a dynamic interface that allows for easy disassembly. The post member can be rotated and unscrewed from the base member with simple hand operations, enabling easy removal of the anchor device from the sand without requiring digging tools or laborious excavation.
4Weight of moving object
If a lightweight anchor device is used for easy transport, then the device is easy to carry, but it may be more susceptible to being pulled out by strong winds
Solution Approach 1:
The invention uses the sand as a natural counterweight to counteract wind forces. The base member buried in the sand utilizes the sand's weight and friction to provide resistance to wind pullout forces, allowing the anchor device itself to remain lightweight for easy transport while maintaining high reliability in strong winds.
Solution Approach 2:
The invention transitions from a single-point anchoring approach to a distributed anchoring approach by burying the base member in the sand. This dimensional change from surface-level attachment to subsurface embedding provides greater resistance to wind forces without increasing the weight of the anchor device itself, thus resolving the contradiction between lightweight construction and wind resistance.
Data Source
AI summary
The anchor device includes a post movably connected to a base and is lockable in shovel, anchor and storage positions. First, it is locked in a shovel position and a hole is dug in beach sand. The anchor device is then disengaged from the shovel position and then locked into an anchor position and then inserted into the hole and then covered with beach sand to secure the post portion of the anchor device in a vertical position with a portion of the post exposed above the surface of the sand. A beach umbrella is inserted into and secured to the post. To remove the anchor device from the sand, the anchor lock position is disengaged from above the sand to permit the post and the base to freely pivot relative to each other so the base and post can be easily pulled from the sand.