Telescopic Pool Pole Reinforcement and Detent Locking
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Existing telescopic poles for swimming pool cleaning face issues such as sagging, weight, and locking mechanism failures due to wear and tear, leading to reduced effectiveness and safety concerns, particularly with water ingress and tool attachment difficulties.
Innovation Solution
A telescopic pole design featuring an inner tube with reinforcement walls and a detent mechanism that prevents water entry, combined with a collar and compression device for secure locking, ensuring buoyancy and strength, and easy tool attachment with offset holes for improved maneuverability.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Strength
If the diameter and wall thickness of tubular sections are increased to reduce sagging, then the pole strength is improved, but the pole weight increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies composite materials by combining aluminum tubing with internal reinforcement structures (such as crossbars or I-frames) to achieve the required strength without increasing weight. The aluminum provides corrosion resistance and base strength, while the internal reinforcement structure adds structural integrity to prevent sagging, creating a composite system that optimizes the strength-to-weight ratio.
Solution Approach 2:
The pole is divided into multiple telescopic sections that can extend and retract, allowing the user to adjust the length based on the cleaning task. This segmentation enables the pole to achieve the necessary reach without requiring excessive diameter or wall thickness throughout its entire length, thereby reducing overall weight while maintaining strength where needed.
2Length of moving object
If the telepole length is increased to reach deeper pool areas, then the reach is improved, but the pole sagging increases
Solution Approach 1:
The telepole is constructed from multiple telescopic sections that can be extended to achieve the desired length for reaching deep pool areas. Each section maintains structural integrity through proper wall thickness and internal reinforcement, allowing the pole to be lengthened without excessive sagging while providing the necessary reach.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent uses composite construction with aluminum tubing combined with internal reinforcement structures (crossbars, I-frames) to maintain pole stability even at extended lengths. This composite approach prevents sagging by distributing the load along the pole structure, enabling the user to reach deep pool areas without the pole bending or sagging excessively.
3Strength
If the tube walls are thickened to prevent bending under pressure, then the pole strength is improved, but the pole weight increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent employs composite materials by combining aluminum tubing with internal reinforcement structures (crossbars, I-frames) to achieve the necessary strength to prevent bending under pressure without relying solely on increased wall thickness. The aluminum provides corrosion resistance and base strength, while the internal reinforcement structure adds structural integrity, creating a composite system that optimizes strength without excessive weight.
Solution Approach 2:
The pole is segmented into multiple telescopic sections, each with optimized wall thickness that balances strength and weight. By distributing the load across multiple sections rather than requiring one thick-walled section, the design prevents bending under pressure while minimizing overall weight.
4Length of moving object
If the telepole is made longer by adding more tubing sections, then the reach is improved, but the locking mechanism complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The telepole is divided into multiple telescopic sections, each equipped with its own locking mechanism. This segmentation allows the pole to be extended to the desired length for reaching deep pool areas while maintaining manageable locking complexity through standardized, modular locking components in each section.
Solution Approach 2:
The locking mechanisms are designed to be user-activated through simple manual operations (such as twisting or pressing), allowing the user to easily lock and unlock each telescopic section without complex mechanical systems. This self-service approach reduces operational complexity while enabling the telepole to achieve the necessary length.
Data Source
AI summary
An improved telepole device having attachment means for attaching swimming pool cleaning, and other tools. The improved telepole device preferably includes an inner tube which freely slides within an outer tube, and a locking device to temporarily secure the inner tube in a desired position within the outer tube. A preferred lightweight design may be at least partially hollow along the length of the tube(s), and durability may be provided by inner/reinforcement wall(s) that extend across the hollow portion(s) of one or both of the tubes. On the end of the outer tube through which the inner tube slides/extends is a collar element attached thereto and comprised of a locking device having a detent mechanism for “locking” the inner tube in place within the outer tube. Preferably, the collar's opening and the profile of the inner tube have one or more sides that, due to their relative position with respect to each other, can prevent the inner tube from rotating within the collar. Further, the inner tube preferably has a series of holes along its length which are positioned to receive a pin element of the detent mechanism. Further, the end of the outer tube opposite the collar preferably has attachment holes configured to receive attachable and detachable swimming pool cleaning tools, and an additional set of holes that allow water to drain from the outer tube while a tool is attached.