Variable Diameter Annular Band for Yard Bag Handling
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Solution Overview
Problem
Disposable paper bags for yard-waste collection are prone to flopping over, making them difficult to fill, and are heavy and prone to ripping when lifted, complicating their removal and transport.
Innovation Solution
A flexible, annular band with a variable diameter that keeps the bag open and serves as a handle, using a passive locking mechanism with a flange and integral collar to maintain the bag's open position and facilitate transport without damage.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of manufacture
If the bag is made of thin paper to be disposable, then it is easy to discard, but it rips easily when grasped and dragged
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces a separate handling mechanism (the band with collar structure) that acts as an intermediary between the user's hand and the bag. This mediator distributes the gripping force across a wider area of the bag's rim rather than concentrating it at a single grasp point, preventing the thin paper from ripping while still allowing easy disposal after use
Solution Approach 2:
The patent employs a flexible band with a collar that conforms to the bag's opening. This flexible structure distributes mechanical stress evenly around the bag's rim, preventing localized stress concentrations that would cause thin paper to tear, while maintaining the bag's disposable nature
2Ease of operation
If the bag is left open for filling, then it is easy to collect debris, but it flops over and becomes difficult to fill
Solution Approach 1:
The patent uses a dynamic band that can be adjusted between contracted and expanded states. When expanded, the band's collar rests on the bag's rim to hold it open for filling; when contracted, it allows for easy removal. This dynamic adjustment enables the system to transition between the open state needed for filling and the stable state needed for transport
Solution Approach 2:
The patent changes the physical parameter of the band's diameter. By expanding the band to a larger diameter, the collar makes contact with the bag's rim to stabilize and hold the bag open. The ability to change this dimensional parameter allows the system to address both the filling ease and stability requirements at different stages
3Stability of the object's composition
If the bag is held open with a rigid structure, then it maintains stability, but it cannot be easily contracted for removal
Solution Approach 1:
The patent employs a dynamic band structure that can transition between expanded and contracted states. When expanded, it provides rigid support to hold the bag open stably; when contracted, it becomes flexible and easy to manipulate for removal. This dynamic property resolves the contradiction between needing rigidity for stability and flexibility for ease of operation
Solution Approach 2:
The patent utilizes the ability to change the band's diameter parameter. In the expanded state, the band achieves sufficient rigidity to maintain the bag's open position stably. When contracted to a smaller diameter, the band becomes flexible and easy to manipulate, allowing simple removal from the bag without damaging it
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 solution effectively keeps the bag open for filling, reduces the risk of ripping during transport, and allows for easier handling of full bags by maintaining structural rigidity and providing an omnidirectional grip.
Implementation Method 1
This constant frictional force is such that the apparatus's diameter is easily manipulated by the user while the apparatus remains firmly in place
Implementation Method 2
The partial inner member is constructed of a material that allows flex and spring, allowing it to be manipulated by pressing its flared end and inserting it into the receiving end of the collar
Implementation Method 3
The frictional force of the partial inner member and the expansion force of the apparatus together offer a structural rigidity that allows the bag to be held open and filled
Implementation Method 4
The expansion force of the apparatus together offer a structural rigidity that allows the bag to be held open and filled, and to maintain this maximally open position even if it is tipped over on its side
Data Source
AI summary
A flexible, annular band of variable diameter keeps a yard bag open and properly oriented for use in receiving debris and manipulating the bag. The flexible, annular band may be locked to a fixed or variable diameter to fit the opening of common yard bags. By contracting the band, it can be placed inside the opening of the bag, expanded to the bag's diameter, and then locked to hold the bag open to receive yard debris. When the bag is full, the flexible annular band is unlocked and contracted for removal.