Wall Mount Hose Reel with Pre-Assembled Nested Spool
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing wall mountable hose reels are often shipped unassembled, leading to increased packaging costs, consumer frustration, and potential damage during assembly, while also lacking features like compact storage and convenient installation options.
Innovation Solution
A pre-assembled wall mountable hose reel with full-circle end plates, integrated shelving, and a levelwind assembly, designed for nested stacking and easy installation, featuring a crank handle and keyhole mounting apertures to reduce shipping volume and enhance usability.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Volume of moving object
If the hose reel is shipped unassembled, then shipping space efficiency is improved, but assembly complexity and consumer frustration increase
Solution Approach 1:
The hose reel is pre-assembled at the factory before shipping, eliminating the need for consumer assembly. The pre-assembly includes attaching the spool to the mounting plate, installing the crank mechanism, and positioning all components in their final configurations, thereby resolving the contradiction between shipping efficiency and assembly complexity
Solution Approach 2:
The hose reel components are designed to nest within each other when retracted, with the spool fitting inside the frame structure and the hose coiling within the spool. This nested design allows the pre-assembled unit to maintain a compact form factor for shipping while being fully assembled
2Volume of moving object
If the spool end plates are flattened or folded to reduce packaging size, then shipping space is improved, but structural integrity and reliability deteriorate
Solution Approach 1:
The spool end plates are designed with a hinge mechanism that allows them to fold during the hose retraction process. This dynamic folding capability enables the end plates to reduce the overall packaging volume when not in use, while maintaining full structural integrity during normal operation and hose storage
Solution Approach 2:
The end plates are segmented into multiple sections connected by hinges, allowing them to fold independently. This segmentation enables compact storage configuration while maintaining the strength and reliability needed for normal spool operation and hose support
3Device complexity
If the hose is pulled off the reel perpendicular to the spool, then the basic mechanism is simplified, but usability and adaptability deteriorate
Solution Approach 1:
The spool is designed to rotate about a vertical axis rather than a horizontal axle, fundamentally changing the orientation parameter. This allows the hose to be pulled off in any radial direction from the spool, providing 360-degree accessibility while maintaining a simple rotational mechanism
4Ease of operation
If keyhole mounting apertures are integrated into the mounting plate, then installation convenience is improved, but manufacturing complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The keyhole mounting apertures are integrated directly into the mounting plate structure during the same manufacturing process that creates the plate itself. This merging of the aperture feature with the base mounting plate eliminates the need for separate aperture components or post-manufacturing modifications, thereby reducing overall manufacturing complexity while providing convenient installation
Data Source
AI summary
An improved wall mount hose reel of a shape and design allowing preassembly and stacking in a nesting fashion of multiple units. The wall mount hose reel employs a frame for support of a garden hose to be wound into a coil by use of a hose reel spool. A crank handle is provided on the frame and attached to the hose reel spool for winding. An inlet/outlet swivel union fluid conduit is provided in the A-frame. The inlet fluid conduit is adapted for attachment to a water source, located on the outer surface of the A-frame, and adapted for coupling with the outlet conduit. The frame further supports a storage shelf and a rotatable levelwind assembly.