Anchor System With Integrated Cable Pin For Movable Barriers
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional anchor systems for movable barriers are prone to failure due to repeated use and wear, require disassembly and reassembly for lift cable installation and removal, and are not easily accessible or interchangeable, leading to increased complexity and cost.
Innovation Solution
An improved anchor system featuring a pin couplable to the lift cable and a bracket attachable to the movable barrier, with a guide lock that moves to extend or retract the pin, allowing for secure attachment and detachment of the lift cable without disassembly, and distributing loads to the movable barrier for enhanced strength.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If fasteners are used to attach lower brackets to the movable barrier, then the lift cable can be secured to the barrier, but the attachment is prone to failure due to repeated use and wear
Solution Approach 1:
The patent removes the fasteners from the load-bearing path by extracting their attachment function. The bracket is redesigned with built-in attachment features (ears with holes) that directly engage with the barrier, eliminating the need for separate fasteners to bear the barrier weight. This extraction of the fastening function from the load-bearing function resolves the contradiction by making the attachment reliable without relying on fasteners that wear out.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent merges the bracket structure with the attachment features by integrating ears with holes directly into the bracket body. This consolidation creates a unified load-bearing and attachment component that distributes stress across multiple points (the ears and the bracket body), eliminating stress concentration on individual fasteners and improving overall reliability and service life.
2Ease of operation
If conventional anchor systems are used, then the lift cable can be attached to the bracket, but disassembly and reassembly are required for cable installation and removal
Solution Approach 1:
The patent segments the anchor system into distinct functional components: the bracket with integrated ears, the pin, and the cable. This segmentation allows the cable to be independently installed or removed by simply manipulating the pin, while the bracket remains permanently attached to the barrier. The cable attachment is separated from the bracket attachment, enabling cable servicing without disassembling the bracket-barrier connection.
Solution Approach 2:
The bracket is pre-attached to the barrier during initial installation, with the ears and holes positioned and secured before cable installation. This preliminary attachment action eliminates the need for repeated disassembly and reassembly during cable replacement, as the bracket serves as a permanent mounting structure that only requires simple pin manipulation for cable servicing.
3Reliability
If unique lower brackets are used for each side of the movable barrier, then proper attachment is achieved, but manufacturing and inventory complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent designs the bracket with symmetrical ears and holes that can function on either the left or right side of the movable barrier. This universal design allows a single bracket type to be used for both sides, eliminating the need for separate left and right brackets. The bracket maintains proper attachment suitability for both sides while reducing the number of unique parts, thereby decreasing manufacturing and inventory complexity.
4Reliability
If components of the anchor system are used, then the lift cable can be secured, but components may bend when the cable breaks making reassembly difficult
Solution Approach 1:
The patent designs the anchor system components with inherent structural reinforcement and stress-distribution features that prevent bending before a cable break can occur. The bracket ears, pin, and hole configurations are engineered to absorb and distribute impact forces, cushioning against the sudden load changes that occur during cable failure. This beforehand cushioning prevents permanent deformation, ensuring components remain reusable and easy to reassemble even after cable breaks.
Data Source
AI summary
An anchor system for securing a lift cable to a movable barrier comprises a pin couplable to the lift cable and a bracket attachable to the movable barrier. The bracket comprises a first wall having a first hole, a second wall spaced from the first wall to receive the lift cable therebetween, the second wall having a second hole, the first hole and the second hole aligned and configured to receive the pin, and a first portion of a third wall extending obliquely relative to the first wall. The anchor system also comprises a guide lock shaped to fit at least partially within the bracket, and movable relative to the bracket between a position where the lift cable is couplable to the pin and a position where the lift cable is uncouplable from the pin, the guide lock being configured to displace the pin.