Lightweight Snow Sphere with Adhesive Nodules for Stable Assembly
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Solution Overview
Problem
Building large snowmen is difficult due to the weight and unevenness of traditional snowballs, requiring significant effort and often resulting in lopsided structures that are prone to collapse, especially with limited snowfall and adverse weather conditions.
Innovation Solution
The creation of lightweight snow spheres with an adhesive surface, allowing for easier handling and assembly, which can be stacked to form symmetrical and stable snow figures, using materials like STYROFOAM or plastic with nodules to enhance snow adhesion and support.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Quantity of substance
If traditional snowballs are used to build large snowmen, then the snowman can be made with available snow, but the snowballs become excessively heavy and difficult to handle
Solution Approach 1:
The patent uses a composite structure combining a lightweight hollow sphere (made of materials like plastic, metal, or wood) with an outer layer of snow. This composite approach allows the snowman components to be much lighter than traditional solid snowballs while still using snow for the outer appearance and texture.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent employs a hollow spherical shell as the core structure, which can be made from various materials. This shell provides the necessary structural integrity while minimizing weight, allowing the snowman to be easily handled and assembled even when large in size.
2Productivity
If traditional snowballs are rolled to create large snowmen, then the snowman can be built, but the snowballs become lopsided and unstable
Solution Approach 1:
The patent divides the snowman into separate components (head, body, limbs) that can be individually formed and then assembled. Each component can be precisely shaped on its own before being attached to the others, ensuring proper proportions and stability without requiring a single large perfect snowball.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent uses spherical or curved shapes for the core structures of the snowman components. This curvature provides natural balance and stability, making the snowman less prone to toppling while maintaining an aesthetically pleasing appearance. The spherical core also makes it easier to roll and position the components during assembly.
3Volume of moving object
If traditional snowmen are built with large snowballs, then the snowman can be big, but the structure becomes prone to collapse in adverse weather
Solution Approach 1:
The patent uses a composite construction with a rigid hollow core (made of materials like plastic, metal, or wood) providing structural support, combined with an outer snow layer. This composite structure maintains the snowman's size while significantly improving its resistance to collapse from wind, rain, or temperature fluctuations.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent incorporates a hollow interior space within the snowman components that can serve as a cushioning chamber. This internal void space acts as a buffer against external forces like wind and rain, preventing the snowman from collapsing while maintaining its large size and shape.
4Quantity of substance
If traditional snowmen are built with available snow, then the snowman can be constructed, but significant effort and time are required
Solution Approach 1:
The patent divides the snowman into pre-formed components (head, body, limbs) that can be individually prepared and then quickly assembled. This segmentation allows for more efficient construction compared to building a single large snowball, reducing the overall time and effort required while using less snow material.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent uses a hollow core structure made from lightweight materials that requires minimal snow coverage. This composite approach significantly reduces the amount of snow needed compared to traditional solid snowballs, thereby reducing the time and effort required for construction while still achieving the desired snowman appearance.
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 the construction of large, symmetrical, and durable snowmen with minimal effort, maintaining shape and stability even in adverse weather, using less snow and reducing maintenance needs.
Implementation Method 1
a snow adherent surface is formed on the outer surface of the spherically-shaped body... the adhesion surface has nodules... the nodules capture snow
Data Source
AI summary
A ball is provided forming an inside structure of the snow person, the ball having an inner and outer surface. The ball is a unitary work piece that is free and unconnected to other work pieces. An adhesion surface is disposed on the outer surface of the ball, the adhesion surface provided with nodules that extend away from the surface of the ball to adhere snow while the ball is rolled. Light units are integrated into the surface of the ball and having light emitting portions that extend away from the surface of the ball. A light output of the light units is selected to transmit light through a layer of snow. Connections between the light units situated within the ball connect the light units together.