In-Ground Sprinkler Support with Anchoring and Cushioning
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing in-ground sprinkler supports are vulnerable to physical stresses from lawn mowers, pedestrians, and utility vehicles, leading to tilting, compression, and breakage, and lack effective securing and cushioning mechanisms, resulting in damage to sprinkler heads and fittings.
Innovation Solution
A sprinkler support system featuring a foothold base with a clamping structure to secure the cylindrical housing, an anchoring structure to stabilize in the soil, and cushioning means to absorb physical stresses, allowing for easy installation and maintenance without digging, and accommodating various sprinkler head sizes.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Object-affected harmful factors
If conventional donut-shaped protectors are used, then they provide basic protection, but they are easily dislodged from the ground when subject to lateral or vertical impact
Solution Approach 1:
The support structure is divided into distinct functional segments: a base portion with outwardly extending feet for ground anchoring, a body portion for housing the sprinkler head, and a cap portion. This segmentation allows each segment to perform its specific function optimally - the feet provide stable anchoring while the body and cap protect the sprinkler head
Solution Approach 2:
The support structure extends in multiple dimensions: the base portion extends horizontally with feet that spread outward to increase ground contact area and prevent dislodgement, while the body and cap portions extend vertically to provide protection. This multi-dimensional approach simultaneously achieves both protection and stable anchoring
2Object-affected harmful factors
If cylindrical shaped protectors are used, then they provide a housing structure, but they lack load bearing capacity and easily compress downward under compression
Solution Approach 1:
The support structure utilizes curved and rounded forms throughout - the base portion has a curved lower surface, the body portion has a rounded cylindrical shape, and the cap portion is domed. These curved geometries distribute compressive loads more effectively across the structure, preventing localized stress concentration and downward compression while maintaining protection
3Strength
If a large footing area is used to carry physical stresses, then stress bearing capacity is improved, but large areas of grass need to be removed for installation
Solution Approach 1:
The base portion concentrates the load-bearing function at specific localized points - the outwardly extending feet are positioned at discrete locations around the perimeter of the base. This allows the structure to bear stress effectively while maintaining a compact footprint that minimizes the area of grass removal needed during installation
Data Source
AI summary
A sprinkler support for the in-ground sprinkler heads includes a base at the lower position, a sidewall extending vertically ascending from the base, a clamping structure disposed at the sidewall of the sprinkler support to secure the sprinkler head, a cushioning structure capable to absorb physical stresses, and anchoring structures holding the sprinkler support with respect to the soil. The sprinkler support accommodates a variety of different size of sprinkler heads by having an adapter, by cantilever fingers extended from the sidewall upwardly or by constructing with two halves, wherein each half comprises the base and sidewall.