Tiltable Sunshade Helical Spring Buffering Mechanism
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Existing sunshades are prone to cable breakage and loosening under external forces or strong wind loads, posing safety risks to users.
Innovation Solution
A tiltable sunshade design featuring a pole with a helical spring and follower mechanism that allows for adjustable tilting and buffering of external forces, using a large and small pitch portion of the helical spring to control the movement and provide a buffering effect.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If a cable is used to control the canopy movement, then the operation is simple and easy to implement, but the cable is liable to break by external force or excessive pulling force
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces the cable-pulley mechanical system with a rack-and-pinion gear mechanism. The rotary arm connects to a rack that engages with gears on the pole, converting rotational motion into linear motion for canopy deployment. This mechanical substitution eliminates the cable entirely, resolving the reliability issue while maintaining operational simplicity through the gear-based control system.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent changes the mechanical parameter from flexible cable tension to rigid gear engagement. By using interlocking teeth between the rack and gears, the system transforms the force transmission mechanism from a flexible, fracture-prone cable to a rigid, tooth-based mechanical connection that can withstand external forces and excessive pulling loads without breaking.
2Strength
If the canopy is fixed rigidly to withstand wind load, then the structural strength is improved, but the canopy cannot tilt to adjust according to sun position
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements a dynamic tilt mechanism where the rotary arm can rotate to different angles, allowing the canopy to tilt and track the sun's position. The rack-and-pinion gear system provides controlled movement while maintaining structural integrity. The stretchers connect the rotary arm to the canopy ribs, enabling the entire assembly to pivot smoothly between tilted and non-tilted positions, thus achieving both wind resistance and adaptability.
Solution Approach 2:
The canopy structure is segmented into multiple independent components: the pole, rotary arm, stretchers, and canopy ribs. This segmentation allows each component to perform its specific function - the pole provides stable rotation, the rotary arm enables tilting, the stretchers transmit motion, and the ribs support the canopy fabric. The modular design facilitates both structural strength and movement capability.
3Device complexity
If the cable is exposed for canopy control, then the device complexity is reduced, but the exposed cable is liable to break and cause safety issues
Solution Approach 1:
The patent eliminates the exposed cable by replacing it with an enclosed gear mechanism. The rack and gears are housed within the pole structure, with only the external rotary handle exposed for user operation. This substitution removes the safety hazard of exposed cables while maintaining simple operation through the external rotary interface.
Solution Approach 2:
The gear mechanism is nested within the pole structure. The rack is positioned inside the pole, engaging with gears that are also housed within the pole's internal cavity. This nesting conceals the mechanical components, protecting them from external damage and eliminating exposure hazards, while the external rotary handle provides accessible control.
4Adaptability or versatility
If the canopy is allowed to tilt freely, then the adaptability to sun position is improved, but under strong wind load the canopy bounces and causes injury risk
Solution Approach 1:
The gear mechanism provides mechanical feedback that regulates canopy movement. As the rotary arm tilts the canopy, the gear engagement creates controlled resistance and prevents uncontrolled bouncing. The interlocking teeth ensure that movement occurs only in the intended direction and at controlled rates, providing natural feedback that stabilizes the canopy under wind load while maintaining tilt adjustability.
Solution Approach 2:
The gear mechanism acts as a pre-engineered cushioning system that absorbs and dampens wind-induced forces before they can cause dangerous canopy bouncing. The tooth engagement provides mechanical damping that reduces the impact of sudden wind loads, protecting users from injury while allowing the canopy to maintain its tilted position for sun tracking.
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 design enhances safety and reliability by preventing cable breakage and canopy bounce under external forces, allowing for precise adjustment of the sunshade's angle according to the sun's position while withstanding wind loads.
Implementation Method 1
the helical spring is compressed by the follower and undergoes elastic deformation, providing a buffering effect to the external force
Data Source
AI summary
A tiltable sunshade (12) includes a pole (111) rotatably receiving a rod (573) around which a helical spring (579) is mounted. The helical spring (579) can be rotated by operating a handle (213) to cause movement of a follower (599) in the pole (111) between a folded position and an unfolded position and an optional tilted position to fold ribs (451), unfold the ribs (451), and optionally tilt the ribs (451), respectively. When the follower (599) is in the unfolded position or the tilted position, if a canopy (475), the ribs (475), or stretchers (451) of the tiltable sunshade (12) is subjected to an external force causing the runner (297) to move along the longitudinal axis of the pole (111), the helical spring (579) is compressed by the follower (599) and undergoes elastic deformation, providing a buffering effect to the external force.