Asymmetric Push-Pull Chain for Compact Window Actuator Design
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional window actuators face challenges in achieving a slim, powerful, and robust design due to the need for large cross-sectional chains, sprockets, and gearwheels, which increase the actuator's traverse dimensions, making it difficult to integrate them into window frames.
Innovation Solution
The design removes lugs from the outer side of push-pull chain links, allowing for a more compact actuator housing and using conventional links, which reduces the actuator's transverse dimensions by eliminating the need for chain guides and utilizing a bracket to manage chain orientation and compression transmission.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Strength
If conventional push-pull chains with lugs on both sides are used to transmit compression forces, then the chain can maintain structural rigidity, but the actuator's transverse dimensions increase requiring larger housing and chain guides
Solution Approach 1:
The patent removes the lugs from one side of the chain links, extracting only the necessary compression-transmitting lugs from one side while eliminating the redundant lugs from the other side. This extraction reduces the chain's transverse dimension and eliminates the need for chain guides, allowing for a more compact actuator housing.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent creates an asymmetric chain structure where lugs are present on only one side of the links rather than symmetrically on both sides. This asymmetric design maintains the ability to transmit compression forces through the present lugs while reducing the overall transverse dimension of the chain, eliminating the need for chain guides.
2Strength
If large cross-sectional chains are used to transmit compression forces effectively, then the chain can maintain structural rigidity, but the actuator housing dimensions increase
Solution Approach 1:
By removing the redundant lugs from one side of the chain links, the patent reduces the chain's cross-sectional area while maintaining its compression transmission capability through the remaining lugs. This extraction allows for a more compact actuator housing with reduced volume.
3Reliability
If chain guides are used to manage chain orientation and compression transmission, then the chain can function properly, but the actuator becomes more complex and larger
Solution Approach 1:
The patent removes the need for chain guides by extracting only the necessary lugs from one side of the chain links. The asymmetric lug configuration inherently controls chain orientation and compression transmission without requiring additional chain guide components, thereby reducing actuator complexity.
Solution Approach 2:
The asymmetric chain design with lugs on one side only makes the chain self-guiding. The chain's own structure (the asymmetric lugs) provides the orientation control and compression transmission functions that would otherwise require separate chain guide components, allowing the chain to serve its own guidance function.
Data Source
Figure 1~1a
Figure 2
Figure 3
AI summary
A push-pull chain (10) and actuator for opening and closing a hinged window or door. The links (14,15) making up the chain on only one side of the bushings are provided with lugs that prevent bending of the chain and beyond a straight line in one direction, whilst the links (14',15') on the other side of the bushings are not provided with any means for preventing bending of the chain. One of the links forming the external end of the chain is formed as a bracket for connecting the chain to a window or door profile. The connection between the bracket and the window or door profile is provided with a faster that can be removed even when the window or door is closed for emergency opening, for example when the actuator is out of order. The actuator is provided with a chain guide that as a guide surface for guiding the side surfaces of the links on one side of the chain.