Wagon Footwell and Handle Mechanism
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional consumer-use wagons lack features for efficient storage and transportation, as they do not easily adapt to compact sizes, and the pull-handle lacks secure locking positions, leading to inefficiencies in storage and use.
Innovation Solution
The design incorporates a collapsible footwell that can be easily repositioned between extended and collapsed positions, reducing the wagon's height and volume for storage and transport, and a position-locking handle that can be locked in multiple positions for secure handling and storage.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If the footwell is fixed in an extended position, then children have comfortable foot support during use, but the wagon occupies excessive storage space and has large package size for shipping
Solution Approach 1:
The footwell is designed to be repositionable between extended and collapsed positions, allowing it to adapt between providing comfort during use and reducing volume for storage and shipping. This dynamic transformation resolves the contradiction by making the footwell volume variable rather than fixed.
Solution Approach 2:
The footwell is divided into movable segments that can be collapsed or extended independently, allowing the structure to compact into a smaller configuration for storage while maintaining full functionality when needed.
2Device complexity
If the pull-handle is fixed in one position, then the structure is simple, but the wagon cannot adapt to different handling needs and requires manual adjustments
Solution Approach 1:
The pull-handle is designed with multiple lockable positions, allowing it to be adjusted and secured at different heights and angles. This dynamic positioning capability provides adaptability for different handling needs while maintaining structural simplicity through a lockable mechanism.
Solution Approach 2:
The multi-position handle serves multiple functions by accommodating different user heights, pulling preferences, and storage configurations, making the wagon adaptable to various handling scenarios without requiring multiple separate components.
3Device complexity
If the pull-handle is not lockable, then the mechanism is simple, but the handle cannot maintain secure positions during transport and use
Solution Approach 1:
The handle incorporates a self-locking mechanism that automatically secures the handle in selected positions during use and transport, maintaining reliability without requiring continuous manual intervention. The locking mechanism engages passively when the handle reaches designated positions.
Solution Approach 2:
The lockable positions are pre-designed to provide inherent stability and friction resistance, cushioning against unintended movement or dislodging during transport. The mechanism is engineered to maintain position stability proactively rather than reactively.
Data Source
AI summary
Consumer wagons are provided for carrying seated children and/or household cargo. In some embodiments, the wagons have a footwell for children carried in the wagon to place/rest their feet, and the footwell is repositionable between use position lowered relative to the wagon base and a collapsed/storage position closer to the wagon base. And in some embodiments, the wagons have a pull-handle that can be moved between different positions and that is lockable in multiple of the different positions.