Soft Barrier Retractable Frame With Flexible Sheeting
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional barriers for residential homes often feature hard components that are not adaptable or forgiving, lacking the ability to efficiently retract and extend to accommodate different spaces while minimizing hardware usage.
Innovation Solution
A soft barrier system comprising a frame with longitudinal and lateral support members and flexible sheeting that can be adjusted to maximize space usage, featuring telescoping mechanisms and hand wheels for easy extension and retraction, minimizing metal components and maximizing fabric usage.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Strength
If conventional barriers use hard metal support members and horizontal bars, then structural strength is improved, but adaptability and forgiveness are reduced
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces rigid metal horizontal bars with flexible sheeting material that can bend and adapt to different configurations. The sheeting is tensioned between vertical support members, allowing the barrier to maintain strength while gaining flexibility and adaptability to various spaces and conditions.
Solution Approach 2:
The barrier design allows the horizontal support members to transition between fixed and movable states. The telescoping mechanism enables the barrier to dynamically adjust its configuration, transforming from a static rigid structure to a dynamic adaptable system that can respond to different spatial requirements.
2Stability of the object's composition
If conventional barriers use multiple horizontal metal support members, then structural stability is improved, but device complexity and hardware usage increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts and removes the horizontal metal bars from the traditional barrier structure, replacing them with tensioned sheeting. This elimination of rigid horizontal components simplifies the overall device complexity while maintaining structural stability through the vertical support members and tensioning system.
Solution Approach 2:
By using flexible sheeting instead of rigid horizontal bars, the patent reduces the number and complexity of metal components required. The sheeting provides the necessary structural stability through tension rather than rigid framing, thereby reducing device complexity and hardware usage.
3Adaptability or versatility
If the barrier is designed to be fully retractable, then adaptability is improved, but structural strength may be compromised
Solution Approach 1:
The telescoping mechanism allows the vertical support members to dynamically adjust between extended and retracted positions. When extended, the barrier provides full structural strength; when retracted, it maintains adaptability. The dynamic nature of the mechanism ensures strength is available when needed while enabling retractability for adaptability.
Solution Approach 2:
The flexible sheeting maintains structural integrity when tensioned between the vertical support members in the extended position, providing full strength. When the barrier is retracted, the sheeting can be folded or rolled without compromising the overall system strength, as the structural load-bearing capacity is restored when the barrier is deployed.
Data Source
AI summary
The present soft barrier includes sheeting and a frame. The frame includes longitudinal and lateral support members. The sheeting is in a relaxed state when the lateral support members are in a retracted state. The sheeting is in a taut state when the lateral support members are in an extended fixed state. The sheeting may be in either the relaxed state or taut state when the longitudinal support members are in a retracted state or an extended state. A first adjustment mechanism for increasing or decreasing the longitudinal length of the barrier is a quick slide mechanism. A second adjustment mechanism for finely increasing or finely decreasing the longitudinal length of the barrier is a rotatable mechanism.