Umbrella Tip Assembly with Nested Protection Piece
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing umbrella tip assemblies are prone to damage and pose a risk of injury due to their exposed nature, and their complex structure leads to higher production costs.
Innovation Solution
A tip assembly with a protection piece having a curved outer surface and an inner surface, where the tip rod is integrated with a protection piece that keeps the distal end enclosed within the canopy, reducing exposure and manufacturing costs by simplifying the structure.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Object-affected harmful factors
If the tip is exposed to connect with the canopy, then the connection is convenient and the structure is simple, but the tip is easy to be accidentally hit objects or someone, causing damage or injury
Solution Approach 1:
The protection piece is nested within the canopy fabric, with the tip rod inserted through the protection piece. The protection piece acts as an inner layer within the outer canopy layer, creating a nested structure where the sharp tip is enclosed by the protection piece which is in turn enclosed by the canopy fabric, eliminating exposure while maintaining structural integrity
Solution Approach 2:
The protection piece serves as an intermediary element between the sharp tip rod and the external environment. It mediates the connection between the tip rod and canopy while providing a protective barrier, allowing the tip rod to perform its function without directly exposing the harmful sharp end to objects or people
2Strength
If two outer cylindrical ribs with tips are used to support the canopy, then the support effectiveness against external forces is improved, but the structure becomes complicated and production cost increases
Solution Approach 1:
The invention merges the tip rod, protection piece, and mounting components into an integrated tip assembly unit that attaches to the outer cylindrical rib. This combined structure provides the necessary support strength while simplifying the overall design compared to having separate complex components, thereby reducing production cost while maintaining canopy support effectiveness
Solution Approach 2:
The tip assembly serves multiple functions: it provides structural support for the canopy, protects the sharp tip rod from damage and injury, and maintains the canopy's aesthetic appearance by hiding the tip. This multi-functionality allows a single integrated structure to replace what would otherwise require multiple separate components, simplifying the overall design
Data Source
AI summary
A tip assembly of an umbrella is revealed. The tip assembly includes a tip rod detachably disposed on a distal end of an outer cylindrical rib of a rib and a protection piece arranged at a distal end of the tip rod. The tip rod is provided with a mounting hole for mounting the distal end of the outer cylindrical rib therein. The protection piece includes a curved outer surface and an inner surface opposite to the outer surface. The outer surface is abutting against respective support ends of a canopy, without exposed outside the canopy. The distal end of the tip rod is located at the inner surface of the protection piece to be protected thereon. Thereby the tip assembly will not have a sharp end or expose outside the canopy while the canopy is extended by the plurality of ribs.