Christmas Tree Stand Assembly With Integrated Water Reservoir
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing Christmas tree stands are laborious and time-consuming to set up due to complex assembly requirements and lack of efficient space for water reservoirs, which can lead to tree drying out and needle drop.
Innovation Solution
A Christmas tree stand design featuring a base plate with half-shell bearings for pivotable retaining elements and a cap with a thrust bearing for easy assembly, along with a circular housing wall for water reservoir integration, allowing for quick setup and stable water supply.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Manufacturing precision
If retaining elements and support arrangements are assembled separately with additional aids, then assembly precision can be improved, but device complexity and setup time increase
Solution Approach 1:
The support arrangement is merged with the base plate by integrally forming the bearing half-shells as part of the base plate structure. This eliminates the need for separate support components and additional assembly aids, reducing device complexity while maintaining precise positioning of the retaining elements through the integrated bearing structure.
Solution Approach 2:
The bearing half-shells are pre-formed as integral parts of the base plate during manufacturing. This preliminary action ensures precise positioning is built into the structure itself, eliminating the need for complex assembly procedures and additional alignment aids during setup.
2Reliability
If retaining elements are secured with additional aids, then reliability of fixation is improved, but ease of manufacture deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The bearing half-shells are combined with the base plate in an integral construction, eliminating the need for separate fixation aids. The retaining elements are directly mounted in these integrated bearings, ensuring reliable fixation through the structural unity of the base plate and bearing components, while simplifying manufacturing by reducing the number of separate parts and assembly steps.
3Reliability
If water reservoir space is increased, then tree stability and hydration are improved, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The base plate serves multiple functions: it provides structural support for the retaining elements through integrated bearings and simultaneously creates the water reservoir by defining the receiving chamber boundaries. This multi-functionality allows the water reservoir space to be maximized within the existing base plate structure without adding separate reservoir components, thereby improving tree stability and hydration while avoiding increased device complexity.
4Productivity
If setup time is reduced, then productivity is improved, but manufacturing precision may deteriorate
Solution Approach 1:
The support arrangements are merged into the base plate as integral bearing half-shells, eliminating the need for separate assembly operations. The retaining elements can be directly mounted in these pre-formed bearings without requiring additional alignment aids or complex assembly procedures, thus reducing setup time while maintaining precise positioning through the integrated structure.
Solution Approach 2:
The bearing half-shells are pre-formed during base plate manufacturing with precise geometry built in. This preliminary action ensures that when retaining elements are mounted, precise positioning is automatically achieved without requiring time-consuming alignment procedures, thereby improving setup speed without sacrificing manufacturing precision.
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 simplifies setup by pre-mounting reset springs and securing retaining elements without additional aids, while the integrated water reservoir enhances stability and prevents tree drying and needle drop.
Implementation Method 1
a reset spring (29) acting on the retaining element (7), whose other end (29b) is supported on a detent (31)
Implementation Method 2
The receiving chamber itself can be filled with water, in order to prevent as far as possible needles dropping off the tree
Data Source
AI summary
A stand for holding pole or trunk-shaped articles, in particular Christmas trees, comprising one or more support arrangements on the base plate for supporting and holding the retaining elements, the support arrangement comprises, for each retaining element, bearings, open transversely to the axial direction, into which the pivot pins or hollow shafts, laterally protruding over the respective retaining element, can be positioned, for fixing the pivot pins or hollow shafts of the retaining elements a thrust bearing is provided, the thrust bearing is supported, at least indirectly, on the base plate, in particular on the at least one support arrangement or on a separate retaining device connected to the base plate, and the thrust bearing is provided or formed on the interior and lower face of the housing cover and/or on a separate component underneath the interior and lower face of the housing cover.