Automatic Umbrella Spring Segmentation for Force Control
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Solution Overview
Problem
Automatic non-collapsible umbrellas face manufacturing difficulties due to increased pole length, which leads to elastic fatigue in components, and pose safety risks if not used carefully, as the enhanced spring mechanism can cause injury.
Innovation Solution
The design incorporates a center post with a control mechanism featuring a cylindrical main seat, cylindrical control seat, and a detent mechanism with a rod member and collapse biasing member, along with a runner assembly including a stretch biasing member, allowing for independent operation of the umbrella's opening and closing mechanisms with reduced required force, utilizing a system of buttons and resistance members to manage the elastic force effectively.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If the spring is greatly enhanced to facilitate opening or closing, then the ease of operation is improved, but the safety risk increases and can hurt the user
Solution Approach 1:
The spring mechanism is divided into two separate springs: a first spring for opening the umbrella and a second spring for closing the umbrella. This segmentation allows each spring to be optimized for its specific function with appropriate force levels, preventing the excessive force problem while maintaining ease of operation.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent changes the parameters of the spring system by using two springs with different elastic coefficients rather than one enhanced spring. The first spring has an elastic coefficient optimized for opening force, while the second spring has an elastic coefficient optimized for closing force, both within safe ranges.
2Length of moving object
If the length of the pole increases, then the manufacturing difficulty increases and components are prone to elastic fatigue
Solution Approach 1:
The pole is divided into multiple segments that can be connected and disconnected. This allows the pole to be transported in a compact form and assembled to the required length at the destination, avoiding the elastic fatigue issues associated with long continuous poles.
Solution Approach 2:
The pole structure is made dynamic and adjustable, allowing it to change length based on usage requirements. This dynamic configuration optimizes both the pole length for functionality and the reliability by avoiding excessive length that would cause elastic fatigue.
3Device complexity
If a single spring is used for both opening and closing, then the device complexity is reduced, but the reliability decreases due to malfunction from elastic fatigue
Solution Approach 1:
The single spring system is segmented into two separate springs with distinct functions. The first spring is dedicated to opening operations and the second spring is dedicated to closing operations. This functional segmentation prevents the elastic fatigue and malfunction issues that arise from a single spring performing both functions.
Solution Approach 2:
Each spring is designed to automatically perform its specific function without interference from the other operations. The first spring self-services the opening function and the second spring self-services the closing function, eliminating the cross-contamination of stresses that leads to malfunction.
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
This design minimizes the force needed to open or close the umbrella, reduces the likelihood of malfunction, and enhances safety by distributing the elastic force effectively, ensuring the umbrella operates reliably and safely over time.
Implementation Method 1
the stored elastic force of the stretch biasing member is released to push the top grommet and the slotted intermediate ring further apart, thereby opening the skeleton
Implementation Method 2
the stored elastic force of the collapse biasing member is released to urge its top against and push up the enhancement tube, and the top grommet moves upward, thereby closing the skeleton
Data Source
AI summary
An automatic non-collapsible umbrella includes a handle, a control mechanism, a center post, a detent mechanism, a runner assembly, and a skeleton. A cylindrical main seat of the control mechanism includes a spring biased open button for opening the umbrella, and a spring biased collapse button adjacent to the collapse button for closing the umbrella.