Garden Torch Holder Kit with Friction Ribs and Drainage
Solution Overview
Problem
Garden torches face difficulties in being securely planted and removed from the ground due to hard soil conditions and are challenging to store, with existing solutions often requiring metal screws and causing stability issues and rust susceptibility.
Innovation Solution
A kit of garden torch holders with a hollow cylindrical design and conical tip for secure planting and removal, featuring ribs for frictional engagement and a spike for drainage, along with wall-mountable storage options using notch arms and rack systems to accommodate vertical and horizontal surfaces, made from materials resistant to rust and bending.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Strength
If metal screws are used to attach the base to the shaft, then the connection strength is improved, but the device becomes susceptible to rust and requires complex assembly
Solution Approach 1:
The patent removes the metal screw fastening mechanism from the design. Instead of using screws to attach the base to the shaft, the invention uses a press-fit configuration where the shaft is inserted directly into the hollow cylindrical base, eliminating the rust-prone metal fasteners while maintaining structural integrity through friction and geometric interlocking
Solution Approach 2:
The patent introduces a rubber or plastic collar as an intermediary component between the shaft and the base. This intermediate layer provides a secure connection through friction and compression while preventing direct metal-to-metal contact that would lead to rust, and allows for easy assembly and disassembly without threading
2Device complexity
If one-sided staking is used to secure the torch, then the device complexity is reduced, but the stability deteriorates under heavy winds
Solution Approach 1:
The patent employs an asymmetric base design where the hollow cylindrical portion and flange create an uneven weight distribution that naturally resists tipping. The conical tip portion inserted into the ground at an angle provides asymmetric anchoring that counteracts wind forces more effectively than symmetric one-sided staking
Solution Approach 2:
The patent transitions from one-dimensional one-sided staking to three-dimensional circumferential support. The hollow cylindrical base provides 360-degree support around the shaft, while the flange extends radially in multiple directions to distribute loads, creating stability in multiple spatial dimensions simultaneously
3Ease of manufacture
If traditional shafts are used, then the manufacturing simplicity is maintained, but the ease of operation deteriorates when pushing into hard soil
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies a conical tip portion to the shaft or base that tapers to a point, allowing it to penetrate hard soil more easily. The curved, tapered geometry concentrates force at the apex and gradually displaces soil, reducing the effort required during installation compared to straight cylindrical shafts
4Strength
If metal components are used for the holder, then the strength is improved, but the reliability deteriorates due to rust susceptibility
Solution Approach 1:
The patent uses composite construction combining a hollow cylindrical base (providing structural strength) with a rubber or plastic collar (providing corrosion resistance and friction grip). This composite approach maintains the mechanical strength needed for wind resistance while eliminating rust susceptibility through the use of non-metallic materials in contact with the environment
Solution Approach 2:
The patent changes the material parameters of the holder components from metal to rust-resistant materials such as corrosion-resistant alloys, plastics, or treated metals. This parameter change maintains structural integrity while fundamentally altering the chemical properties to resist oxidation and rust
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
Enables stable and secure connection and disconnection of garden torches in various soil conditions without metal screws, facilitating easy relocation and storage while preventing rust and maintaining stability in winds.
Implementation Method 1
a plurality of ribs protruding from an inward surface of said conical tip portion, wherein the plurality of ribs is spaced apart along the inward surface thereof for frictionally engaging and supporting a shaft of a torch in an upright orientation
Implementation Method 2
a drain hole in the hollow tapered portion that fluidly communicates to said hollows
Data Source
AI summary
A kit of garden torch holders for securely retaining a garden torch in the ground and on the wall is provided. An in-use torch holder has a hollow body having a circumferential flange and a hollow tip for planting the first torch holder into the ground for retaining a shaft therein. The kit also provides wall mountable upward, lateral or rack torch holders providing pairs of opposing notches for mounting both the body of the garden torch and the above mentioned in-use torch holder.