Self-Righting Marker Post Using Segmented Resilient Members
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing marker posts often fail to return to their upright condition after repeated impacts from animals or vehicles, and their production can be costly, especially when featuring internal webs or simulated tubular shapes with thin-walled bulbs.
Innovation Solution
A self-righting two-part marker post design comprising an outer resilient hollow member and an interior resilient member, where the interior member is laterally supported within the hollow member, creating a dynamic dependency to facilitate restoring forces and return the post to an upright position without the need for integral webs or complex manufacturing.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If a marker post is made with internal webs or simulated tubular shape with thin-walled bulbs to facilitate returning to upright condition, then the post can return to original shape after impact, but the manufacturing cost increases and production becomes difficult
Solution Approach 1:
The marker post is divided into two separate components: an outer hollow resilient member and an inner resilient member. This segmentation allows each component to be manufactured independently using simpler processes, avoiding the complex internal web structures while maintaining the self-righting capability through the interaction of the two separate resilient elements.
Solution Approach 2:
The inner resilient member is placed inside the outer hollow resilient member, creating a nested configuration. This nesting arrangement allows both components to work together to provide restoring forces without requiring complex internal structures, simplifying manufacturing while maintaining reliability.
2Reliability
If a simulated tubular post with thin-walled bulbs supported on a central rod is used, then the post can restore to upright condition, but the manufacturing cost increases and space for visual information is reduced
Solution Approach 1:
By separating the post into outer and inner resilient members, the design eliminates the need for thin-walled bulbs and central rods, creating a simpler structure that provides more internal space for visual information while maintaining the restoring capability through the resilient properties of both members.
Solution Approach 2:
The design changes the structural parameters from thin-walled bulbs to a hollow member configuration, which provides both structural resilience and increased internal volume for visual information display, thereby resolving the contradiction between restoring capability and available space.
3Reliability
If a marker post is made with complex internal structures like corner webs or thin-walled bulbs, then the post can return to upright condition, but the production cost increases
Solution Approach 1:
Dividing the post into separate outer and inner resilient members simplifies the manufacturing process for each component, allowing for more efficient production compared to creating complex internal structures like corner webs or thin-walled bulbs as integral parts, thereby improving productivity while maintaining self-righting ability.
Solution Approach 2:
The design changes from complex internal structures to a configuration with separate resilient members, which can be manufactured more efficiently using standard molding or fabrication processes, thus improving production efficiency while maintaining the required reliability.
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 two-part marker post effectively returns to its upright condition after repeated bending and maintains its functionality for an extended period, even when subjected to significant impacts, while reducing production costs and enhancing durability.
Implementation Method 1
comprising an outer resilient hollow member and an interior resilient member
Data Source
AI summary
A hollow marker post and a resilient member located therein wherein the resilient member is statically dependent of the hollow marker post with the marker post and the resilient member dynamically dependent of each other to facilitate the return of the marker post to an upright condition when the marker post is impacted by an external force.