Self-coiling Dent Guard with Bistable Spring
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing removable vehicle guards are difficult to store due to their rigid structure, requiring significant effort and time to roll up, and may not provide adequate protection from collisions at higher impact points, such as from runaway shopping carts.
Innovation Solution
A self-coiling dent guard with a bistable spring strip and flexible magnetic attachment, allowing easy transformation into a compact form for storage, using high-density foam or plastic for impact absorption and a soft material to prevent vehicle damage.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Strength
If the guard is made rigid to provide adequate protection from collisions, then protection effectiveness is improved, but storage difficulty increases and requires significant effort and time to roll up
Solution Approach 1:
The guard incorporates a bistable spring strip that enables dynamic transformation between a straight protective state and a coiled storage state. This dynamic mechanism allows the guard to maintain rigidity when protecting the vehicle while automatically coiling into a compact form for easy storage when not in use.
Solution Approach 2:
The spring strip changes its structural parameters between two stable states: a linear extended state for protection and a coiled compact state for storage. This parameter transformation resolves the contradiction by providing both structural integrity during use and compactness during storage.
2Ease of operation
If the guard is made flexible to enable easy storage, then storage ease is improved, but protection effectiveness deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The bistable spring strip provides dynamic rigidity-flexibility transformation. When activated, the spring strip becomes rigid to protect the vehicle; when deactivated, it allows flexible coiling for storage. This dynamic property resolution eliminates the need to choose between flexibility and strength.
3Strength
If the guard is permanently attached to provide continuous protection, then protection effectiveness is improved, but adaptability deteriorates as owners cannot reposition or remove it
Solution Approach 1:
The magnetic attachment mechanism provides multi-functionality by enabling both secure attachment for protection and easy removal/repositioning for adaptability. The same magnetic system serves dual purposes: holding the guard firmly in place during use and allowing convenient repositioning when needed.
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
Enables quick and effortless storage of the guard, providing enhanced protection against collisions by coiling with minimal user effort and reducing the risk of vehicle damage during storage and use.
Implementation Method 1
a flexible magnetic strip is attached to the main body of the guard on the side nearest the vehicle when attached thereto. The magnetic strip allows the guard to be securely attached to the outer metal surface of a vehicle
Implementation Method 2
a flexible, high density foam, plastic, or other such resilient material is used to form the main body of the guard, such that the material will absorb the impact of objects that would otherwise cause damage to a vehicle
Implementation Method 3
The strip is configured to act in a manner similar to what is commonly known as a 'slap bracelet,' having two stable states. The spring strip has a linear stable state and a coiled stable state. The potential energy stored in the strip causes the strip to coil quickly
Data Source
AI summary
A self-coiling dent guard for protecting vehicles and other objects from damage caused by unwanted collisions is disclosed. The guard is comprised of a main body adapted to absorb the impact of colliding objects. A bistable spring strip is integrated within the main body of the guard, thus giving the guard its self-coiling properties. When not in use, a user may cause the guard to coil so as to be easily stored. A magnetic strip is attached to the length of the main body such that the guard may be removably attached to a vehicle or other object. A layer of felt covering the bottom of the guard protects the vehicle from being scratched when the guard is applied or removed.