Sand Cleaning Tool With Offset Handle And Balloon Tires
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing sand cleaning tools are not suitable for easy and ergonomic manual operation, are complex, and lack efficiency in combing sand neatly, while also being costly to manufacture and maintain.
Innovation Solution
A sand cleaning tool with a semi-cylindrical sieve and offset handle design, featuring balloon tires and a comb attachment, allowing easy transition between working and non-working positions, and facilitating efficient sand removal and debris collection without sinking into the sand.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If existing sand cleaning tools are used, then sand cleaning function is provided, but they are complex and not suitable for easy manual operation
Solution Approach 1:
The tool is divided into distinct functional segments: a handle for user input, a comb mechanism with multiple tines for sand grooming, and a debris collection section. This segmentation allows each component to perform its specific function independently, simplifying the overall operation while maintaining comprehensive sand cleaning capability.
Solution Approach 2:
The comb tines are designed to flex upward during operation, inverting the typical rake structure where rigid tines force material upward. This flexible, upward-flexing design allows sand to be combed naturally while debris is captured, making the tool easier to maneuver through sand without requiring excessive force.
2Ease of manufacture
If existing sand cleaning tools are used, then sand cleaning is performed, but they are costly to manufacture and maintain
Solution Approach 1:
The comb mechanism uses spaced tines with gaps between them, creating a porous structure that allows sand to pass through while capturing larger debris. This simple porous design is inexpensive to manufacture using basic materials like plastic or metal rods, yet maintains effective sand cleaning performance.
Solution Approach 2:
The tines are designed with specific dimensional parameters including flexible thickness, length, and spacing that optimize both manufacturing simplicity and cleaning effectiveness. These parameter optimizations allow the tool to be manufactured from inexpensive materials while maintaining reliable performance in various sand conditions.
3Manufacturing precision
If existing sand cleaning tools are used, then debris collection is achieved, but they do not comb sand neatly
Solution Approach 1:
The comb tines are positioned and oriented to perform preliminary grooming of the sand surface before debris collection occurs. This preliminary combing action neatly arranges the sand grains and removes surface irregularities, preparing the sand for efficient debris capture in the same passing motion.
Solution Approach 2:
The comb tines feature curved or rounded profiles rather than straight edges, allowing them to smoothly comb and reshape sand grains into a neat, uniform surface. This curvature enables the tines to follow the natural contours of the sand while maintaining precise grooming control.
Data Source
AI summary
Disclosed is a tool for cleaning debris from sand when pulled on the sand by a user which has a sieve and a handle, and which sieve is generally semi-cylindrically shaped, and has a pair of balloon tires rotatably mounted to the frame of the sieve, which tires are mounted colinear with the center of mass of the sieve. The frame of the sieve has a crossbar which is slightly off-center from said open mouth of said sieve, forming openings on either side of the crossbar, and allowing the handle, which is disposed on the crossbar, to effectively and easily rotate the sieve by being offset from the center of mass and center of rotation of the sieve. The handle is offset from the plane of the mouth of the sieve so as to further facilitate rotation and dragging in an in-use or not-in-use manner selectively.