Vertical Stacked Urn Vault for Compact Cemetery Plotting
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional burial systems for urns inefficiently use cemetery land and are costly due to large plot sizes, and pose difficulties in finding suitable burial plots for family members who wish to be cremated and buried together.
Innovation Solution
A non-mechanical outdoor urn burial system featuring a one-piece rigid elongated weather-resistant tubular vault embedded in the ground, allowing for multiple urns to be stacked end-to-end within a compact chamber, with a weather-resistant cover and removable spacers for separation, and an information plaque for identification.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Area of stationary object
If conventional burial style is used for urns, then each urn receives individual burial space, but cemetery land use becomes inefficient and plot costs increase
Solution Approach 1:
Multiple urns are stacked vertically within a single vault chamber, with each urn nested in sequence from top to bottom. The vault dimensions (approximately 10 inches in diameter) accommodate multiple urns in a vertical arrangement, allowing one plot to contain multiple urns that would traditionally require separate burial spaces.
Solution Approach 2:
The system transitions from horizontal burial arrangement to vertical stacking arrangement. By utilizing the vertical dimension within a compact cylindrical vault, multiple urns can be accommodated in a small ground footprint, transforming the space utilization from two-dimensional plot expansion to three-dimensional vertical stacking.
2Adaptability or versatility
If conventional burial plots are allocated for each urn, then individual burial space is provided, but finding suitable plots becomes difficult due to scarcity
Solution Approach 1:
A single vault serves multiple functions by accommodating multiple urns from different family members. The standardized vault design with universal dimensions and features (cover, chamber, stacking arrangement) can hold urns for various individuals, making the system versatile for different family burial needs without requiring separate customized plots for each urn.
3Area of stationary object
If multiple urns are stacked in a compact vault, then plot size is reduced, but access and retrieval of individual urns becomes more difficult
Solution Approach 1:
The vault system is segmented into discrete, independently removable components: the cover can be removed to access the chamber, and each urn within the chamber can be individually extracted. This segmentation allows maintenance of compact vault dimensions while enabling easy access to any specific urn without disturbing others, as each urn can be removed separately through the open top.
Solution Approach 2:
The system incorporates dynamic elements including a removable cover and independently displaceable urns within the fixed vault structure. The cover can be opened or closed as needed, and urns can be moved in and out of the chamber independently, providing operational flexibility that maintains both compact size and ease of access.
Data Source
AI summary
A non-mechanical outdoor urn burial system that includes a one-piece rigid weather resistant tubular vault directly embedded within an outdoor ground surface with a length of the vault extending perpendicular to the outdoor ground surface, the vault having an open top, a closed end, and an elongated chamber having a dimension configured to support one set of urns completely below the ground surface in a stacked condition wherein access to the chamber is through the open top, a weather resistant cover disposed to close the open top and seal the chamber from environmental conditions, and at least two urns each having a top end and a bottom end and disposed top end-to-bottom end in a stacking yet independently displaceable condition in the chamber with each urn including a slot located proximal the top end to facilitate the independent transfer of the urn within and out from the vault.