Labor-saving tent frame with torsion spring and downward drawstring
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Solution Overview
Problem
Traditional labor-saving tent frames require significant physical strength to unfold due to the large size and weight of the tent, and the pull-up drawstring design is inconvenient for users of short stature, limiting accessibility.
Innovation Solution
A labor-saving tent frame design featuring a torsion spring mechanism that reduces the force needed to rotate the short rib and a downward-pulling drawstring structure, allowing for easier unfolding and wider user accessibility.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If a traditional pull-up drawstring structure is used, then the tent can be unfolded, but users of short stature cannot reach the upper hub to pull the drawstring
Solution Approach 1:
The patent inverts the traditional pull-up drawstring mechanism by implementing a push-down drawstring structure. The drawstring is repositioned to extend downward from the lower hub instead of upward from the upper hub, allowing users to pull downward to unfold the tent. This inversion makes the operation accessible to users of all heights while maintaining the mechanical advantage of the drawstring system.
2Stability of the object's composition
If the tent frame is made large and heavy to provide sufficient structure, then the tent is stable, but significant physical strength is required to unfold it
Solution Approach 1:
The patent employs a torsion spring mechanism that acts as a counterweight system. The torsion spring is pre-tensioned to store elastic potential energy, which automatically counteracts the weight and friction of the tent frame during unfolding. This eliminates the need for users to manually overcome the heavy frame weight, as the spring provides the necessary counterbalancing force throughout the unfolding motion.
Solution Approach 2:
The torsion spring is pre-loaded with elastic energy before use, performing the difficult work of overcoming frame weight and friction in advance. When the user pulls the drawstring, the pre-stored energy in the torsion spring is released to assist the unfolding motion, significantly reducing the instantaneous force the user must apply.
3Shape
If the included angle between long and short ribs is decreased to unfold the tent, then the tent structure is formed, but a great force is required to rotate the short rib
Solution Approach 1:
The torsion spring mechanism provides a counterbalancing torque that opposes the resistance encountered when rotating the short rib. As the user pulls the drawstring, the torsion spring releases stored energy to counteract the friction and mechanical resistance at the rib joints, making the rotation required to form the tent structure much easier to achieve.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent transforms the static, force-intensive unfolding process into a dynamic, assisted motion. The torsion spring creates a variable torque assistance throughout the unfolding sequence, providing maximum help when the rib rotation encounters greatest resistance and reducing assistance as the structure nears completion, optimizing the force distribution throughout the motion.
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 torsion spring mechanism reduces the manual effort required to unfold the tent, and the downward-pulling drawstring direction eliminates height obstacles, making the tent more accessible and usable by a broader range of people.
Implementation Method 1
a long-short-rib articulated torsion spring provided with a first force arm of the torsion spring and a second force arm of the torsion spring, and the long ribs and the short ribs are fixed to the first force arm and the second force arm of the torsion spring respectively
Implementation Method 2
the force required to push the short rib to rotate may be reduced remarkably
Data Source
Figure 1~2
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AI summary
A labor-saving tent frame includes an upper hub (1), a lower hub (2) and a drawstring structure, wherein the upper hub (1) is articulated with inner ends of a plurality of long ribs (4), the lower hub (2) is articulated with inner ends of a plurality of short ribs (5), and outer ends of the short ribs (5) are articulated with middle portions of the long ribs (4) in one-to-one correspondence; the tent frame further includes a long-short-rib articulated torsion spring (31) provided with a first force arm (99) of the torsion spring and a second force arm (98) of the torsion spring, and the long rib (4) and the short rib (5) are fixed to the first force arm (99) and the second force arm (98) of the torsion spring respectively; the drawstring structure includes a drawstring (3) with which the upper hub (1) and the lower hub (2) may be pulled closer, and two pulling ends of the drawstring (3) hang down below the lower hub (2). With the above-mentioned structure, a force required to push the short rib (5) to rotate may be reduced remarkably, thereby removing a force obstacle; a direction in which a user should apply force is changed to be downward from the lower hub (2), thereby removing a height obstacle.