Tree Platform Assembly With Stowable Post and Standoff
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing tree stand platforms are cumbersome and inefficient for transportation and storage due to their non-stowable design, which limits their portability and convenience.
Innovation Solution
A platform assembly with a pivotable post and standoff that can be stowed within the platform's receiving area, allowing for compact storage and easy deployment, featuring a threaded shaft for angle adjustment and a pivot pin for pivotal movement.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Length of moving object
If the platform assembly uses a non-stowable design, then the structure is simple and robust, but the portability and storage efficiency are poor
Solution Approach 1:
The post and standoff are designed as movable components that can pivot between deployed and stowed positions. The post pivots on a pivot pin attached to the platform, allowing it to rotate from a vertical deployed position to a horizontal stowed position where it fits within the platform's receiving area. The standoff similarly pivots relative to the post, enabling it to retract into a compact configuration. This dynamic design allows the assembly to transition between functional and storage states, resolving the contradiction between compact storage and structural simplicity.
Solution Approach 2:
The design implements a nested configuration where the standoff is positioned within the receiving area defined by the platform's interior structure when stowed, and the post is received within the same receiving area when both the post and standoff are in their stowed positions. This nesting arrangement minimizes the storage footprint by having components occupy the same spatial envelope, effectively resolving the contradiction between compact storage and mechanism complexity.
2Ease of operation
If the post and standoff are made stowable, then portability is improved, but the deployment time and operational complexity increase
Solution Approach 1:
The dynamic pivoting mechanism allows for quick deployment by simply rotating the post and standoff into their operational positions. The pivot pin and pivotable coupling enable smooth, low-friction movement that can be accomplished with minimal effort and time. This dynamic design improves ease of operation while keeping deployment time short, as the components can be rapidly transitioned from stowed to deployed states without complex assembly steps.
3Volume of stationary object
If the post is made pivotable for stowing, then storage compactness is improved, but the structural stability during deployment may be compromised
Solution Approach 1:
The pivot pin creates a fixed rotation point that provides stable support for the post during both deployed and stowed positions. When deployed, the post maintains a stable vertical orientation supported by the pivot pin attachment to the platform. When stowed, the post rotates to a horizontal position where it is securely received within the platform's receiving area. The pivot mechanism ensures stability in both configurations while enabling compact storage.
Solution Approach 2:
The receiving area is specifically designed to accommodate the post in its stowed position, providing a dedicated space that secures the post horizontally within the platform's interior structure. This nested arrangement ensures the post remains stable and securely positioned during storage and transportation, preventing movement or damage while maintaining compact volume utilization.
Data Source
AI summary
A platform assembly includes a platform. The platform has an outer perimeter that bounds an interior structure that defines a receiving area. The platform includes an upper surface for supporting feet of a user. The upper surface defines an upper plane of the platform. A post is pivotably coupled with the platform and is operable to pivot between the stowed position, wherein the post is received within the receiving area, and the deployed position. Standoff is pivotably coupled with the post and is operable to pivot relative to the post between the retracted position and the use position. In the stowed position of the post and the retracted position of the standoff, no portion of the standoff and no portion of the post is positioned upward of the upper plane of the platform.