Solar-Powered Collapsible Lantern with Segmented Shade
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Solution Overview
Problem
Traditional hanging lanterns are limited by their reliance on electrical power sources, making them inflexible in placement and costly to ship, transport, and store due to their size and weight.
Innovation Solution
A solar-powered collapsible lighting apparatus with a lighting element assembly, solar cell, battery unit, and collapsible shade, allowing for flexible placement and easy assembly/disassembly for reduced shipping, transport, and storage costs.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If traditional electrical power sources are used for hanging lanterns, then the lanterns can provide continuous lighting, but they are limited in placement flexibility and require expensive shipping and storage due to size and weight
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts the heavy electrical power source (mains electricity requirement) from the lantern system, replacing it with a solar-powered battery system. This removal of the electrical grid dependency eliminates the need for heavy wiring and power adapters, significantly reducing weight while improving placement flexibility to any location with sunlight exposure.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent replaces the electrical power system (mains electricity) with a solar-powered system using photovoltaic cells and rechargeable batteries. This substitution eliminates the need for electrical wiring and outlets, allowing the lantern to be placed anywhere with sufficient sunlight, thereby improving adaptability while reducing the overall system weight.
2Illumination intensity
If traditional large-sized lanterns are used, then they provide sufficient lighting coverage, but they are expensive and burdensome to ship, transport and store
Solution Approach 1:
The lantern is divided into separate modular components: a collapsible shade, a support unit with lighting element assembly, solar cell, and battery unit. These segments can be shipped separately and assembled at the destination, reducing shipping volume and storage requirements while maintaining the ability to provide sufficient lighting coverage when assembled.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent employs a collapsible shade that can be compressed into a compact form for shipping and storage, then expanded at the destination to provide full lighting coverage. This dynamic transformation allows the lantern to occupy minimal space during transport while delivering adequate illumination when in use, significantly reducing shipping and storage costs.
3Ease of manufacture
If a collapsible shade design is used, then shipping and storage costs are reduced, but the assembly complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The lantern is segmented into distinct modules (collapsible shade, support unit, lighting assembly, solar cell, battery unit) that can be independently manufactured and shipped. The connecting devices and support units are designed to facilitate straightforward assembly of these segments, reducing the overall assembly complexity despite the collapsible design.
Solution Approach 2:
The collapsible shade is designed to collapse into a compact form that can be nested within or alongside other components during shipping. The support unit and lighting element assembly can be positioned within the collapsed shade structure, minimizing the number of separate assembly steps required at the destination while maintaining reduced shipping costs.
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 solar-powered collapsible lighting apparatus provides flexibility in placement, reduces shipping and storage costs, and offers a sustainable power solution for hanging lanterns, enhancing their usability in home, yard, or garden settings.
Implementation Method 1
a solar cell, a battery unit electrically coupled to the solar cell
Data Source
AI summary
A solar-powered lighting apparatus having a light transmissible shade coupled to a housing that receives a solar cell, a battery and at least a portion of a lighting element assembly. In one embodiment, the shade may have a spherical shape achieved with a support unit or achieved by operation of gravity. A bottom device or bottom portion may be coupled to the shade and cooperate therewith forming and maintaining the spherical shape.