Aluminum Cantilever Bracket Assembly for Faster Secure Installation
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing cantilever assemblies for overhead contact systems are heavy and difficult to handle due to their material composition, and the assembly and installation process is time-consuming and prone to errors with multiple parts that can become lost.
Innovation Solution
The cantilever assembly is constructed using extruded aluminum components with attachment brackets and tee bolts, providing a lightweight yet rigid structure that is quick and easy to install, with a design that secures components together without the need for multiple parts, reducing the risk of parts becoming lost during installation.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Strength
If steel pipe is used for cantilever arms and steady arm, then structural strength and rigidity are improved, but weight increases and handling difficulty increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent changes the material parameter from steel to aluminum alloy, which has lower density and weight but maintains sufficient strength through optimized structural design. The aluminum alloy cantilever arms and steady arms achieve the required structural strength while significantly reducing weight for easier handling and installation.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent employs aluminum alloy as a composite material solution that combines lightweight properties with adequate mechanical strength. The aluminum alloy structure incorporates reinforced design elements to compensate for the lower strength compared to steel, achieving an optimal balance between weight and structural integrity.
2Reliability
If multiple clamps and fastening parts are used to secure cantilever arms, then connection reliability is improved, but assembly complexity increases and installation time increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent merges multiple separate clamps and fastening parts into a single integrated attachment bracket assembly. This unified bracket incorporates all necessary fastening functions in one component, eliminating the need for multiple separate parts and reducing assembly complexity while maintaining connection reliability through the integrated design.
Solution Approach 2:
The attachment bracket is designed as a multi-functional universal component that performs multiple fastening and securing functions simultaneously. This single bracket assembly replaces several specialized clamps, providing comprehensive connection capability while simplifying the overall assembly process and reducing the number of parts that need to be handled during installation.
3Reliability
If multiple separate fastening parts are used, then connection security is improved, but ease of installation deteriorates due to handling difficulty and risk of losing parts
Solution Approach 1:
The patent combines multiple separate fastening parts into one integrated attachment bracket that maintains all necessary connection security features. This unified design ensures that all fastening functions are contained in a single handleable component, eliminating the risk of losing small parts during installation while preserving connection security through the integrated fastening mechanism.
4Strength
If traditional clevis pipe clamps are used for assembly, then connection strength is improved, but installation time increases due to time-consuming assembly and tightening
Solution Approach 1:
The attachment bracket is pre-assembled and pre-configured with all fastening components in the correct positions before installation. This preliminary preparation eliminates the need for complex on-site assembly and tightening operations, allowing for rapid installation while maintaining connection strength through the pre-engineered bracket design.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent integrates multiple fastening operations into a single attachment bracket installation process. By combining several separate fastening steps into one unified bracket assembly, the installation time is significantly reduced while the connection strength is maintained through the integrated design that incorporates all necessary fastening elements.
Data Source
AI summary
A cantilever assembly includes a cantilever arm having a pair of longitudinal fastening channels with a corresponding pair of slots in communication with the fastening channels. An attachment bracket features a connector portion and a pair of spaced leg portions defining a seat there between with each leg portion having at least one aperture. The leg portions also each have an inner surface featuring an elongated groove with each being in communication with a corresponding one of the apertures. The elongated grooves are positioned in alignment with the slots of the cantilever arm when the cantilever arm is positioned in the seat of the attachment bracket. Tee bolts having a shaft portion and an oblong head portion movably pass through the apertures of the attachment bracket with the oblong head portions pivotable between a first orientation where they may be positioned within the elongated grooves of the attachment bracket and passed through the slots and into and out of the fastening channels of the cantilever arm, and a second orientation where they are secured within the fastening channels of the cantilever arm.