Semi-rigid Floating Tube Assembly with Articulated Inner Links
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing floating tubes, such as pool noodles, rely on foam memory for maintaining shape, requiring manual holding to retain deformed shapes, which is inconvenient and limits user interaction.
Innovation Solution
A semi-rigid floating tube assembly with an outer flexible tube and modular, inner tubular links connected by ball and socket joints, allowing transverse bending into stable shapes without external force, emitting a creaking noise during deformation.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If soft flexible foam is used for the floating tube, then the tube can be easily bent into different shapes, but the tube cannot maintain the deformed shape without manual holding
Solution Approach 1:
The inner tubing is divided into multiple rigid or semi-rigid sections connected by ball-and-socket joints, allowing the tube to be bent into stable shapes while maintaining structural integrity. Each segment can rotate independently at the joints, enabling configuration changes without requiring continuous manual support.
Solution Approach 2:
The floating tube combines an outer soft flexible foam tube with an inner rigid or semi-rigid tubing structure. This composite construction provides both the ease of bending from the soft outer layer and the shape maintenance capability from the rigid inner structure with articulated joints.
2Stability of the object's composition
If rigid tubing is used to create structure, then the tube can maintain shape, but the tube cannot be easily bent into different shapes
Solution Approach 1:
The rigid tubing is segmented into multiple sections connected by ball-and-socket joints, transforming a single rigid structure into an articulated mechanism that can be bent into various stable configurations while maintaining shape once positioned.
Solution Approach 2:
The inner tubing structure transitions from a static rigid form to a dynamic articulated structure with rotating joints, enabling the tube to be actively bent into different shapes while maintaining stability in each configured position.
3Stability of the object's composition
If modular links with ball and socket joints are used, then the tube can be bent into stable shapes, but the device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The ball-and-socket joints serve multiple functions: they connect rigid sections, enable rotation for bending, provide structural support for shape maintenance, and allow easy assembly/disassembly. This multi-functionality reduces the need for additional specialized components.
Solution Approach 2:
The modular inner tubing sections with joints are designed to nest within or alongside each other, allowing compact storage and simplified assembly. The standardized joint design enables sections to be connected in various configurations without requiring complex connection 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
Enables users to maintain desired shapes without manual holding, enhancing user interaction and amusement with the 'creaking bones' sound, and allows for versatile configurations and lengths.
Implementation Method 1
the engaged joints emit a creaking sound audible to a user during relative movement
Data Source
AI summary
An amusement device is formed by an elongate, semi-rigid, floating tube assembly with an outer, sleeve-forming tube of soft, flexible, buoyant material and semi-rigid, modular, inner tubing inserted longitudinally into the sleeve. The inner tubing is assembled from a series of identical, rigid, tubular, plastic links each having ball and a socket joint at respective opposite ends rotatively engaged with respective socket and ball joints of adjacent links. The engaging/abutting surfaces of the joints form interference, watertight fits to join the links in end-to-end relation to any desired length and enabling the tube assembly to be transversely bent by a person into different stable shapes. A creaking sound, audible to a user, is emitted during rotative movement of the joints during transverse bending of the tube assembly.