Attachment Assembly for Flexible Drive Slack Management
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Existing power operated lift-gate systems require a simple, efficient, durable, and economical attachment assembly for flexible drive members that can accommodate slack and reduce noise and rattling.
Innovation Solution
A compact attachment assembly featuring a yoke with laterally spaced side walls, a bridge wall, and a coupler with teeth for engaging flexible drive members, along with an adjustable pulley assembly to take up slack, and optional tensioning springs and anti-rattle features.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If a flexible drive member is used in a power operated lift-gate system, then the system can achieve greater adaptability and ease of operation, but the attachment assembly becomes more complex and difficult to manufacture
Solution Approach 1:
The attachment assembly is divided into separate functional components: a yoke for mounting, a coupler with teeth for engaging the flexible drive member, and outer shoes with resilient bows for guidance. This segmentation allows each component to be optimized independently and simplifies manufacturing while maintaining adaptability to different flexible drive members
Solution Approach 2:
The coupler with its plurality of spaced teeth is designed to engage with various types of flexible drive members (chains, belts, tapes) that have spaced windows or links, making the attachment assembly universally applicable across different drive member types while keeping the overall design relatively simple
2Ease of manufacture
If the attachment assembly is made compact and economical, then manufacturing cost is reduced, but durability and noise reduction may be compromised
Solution Approach 1:
The outer shoes incorporate resilient bows only in the specific areas where contact with the guide channel occurs, providing localized durability and noise reduction where needed, while the rest of the attachment assembly remains simple and economical to manufacture. The teeth on the coupler are concentrated only where engagement with the drive member is required
3Ease of operation
If resilient bows are added to facilitate sliding in the channel, then ease of operation is improved, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The outer shoes incorporate resilient (flexible) bows that dynamically adapt to the guide channel surfaces, providing automatic cushioning and smooth movement without requiring complex adjustment mechanisms. The resilience allows the bows to conform to minor variations in the channel while maintaining simple overall structure
Solution Approach 2:
The resilient bows provide pre-built cushioning elements that absorb shocks and friction before they can cause damage or noise, allowing the attachment assembly to slide smoothly through the guide channel without requiring complex damping systems or adjustment mechanisms
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
The solution provides a compact, adjustable, and economical drive unit with reduced noise and improved durability, capable of securely attaching flexible drive members and managing slack, enhancing the operational efficiency of power operated lift-gate systems.
Implementation Method 1
An outer shoe engages each side wall of the yoke. Each outer shoe preferably has a recess receiving the associated side wall and each outer shoe preferably has longitudinally spaced, forward, resilient bows and longitudinally spaced resilient side bows to facilitate sliding of the attachment in a channel.
Implementation Method 2
The attachment assembly may include an optional tensioning spring
Implementation Method 3
The coupler has a plurality of spaced teeth for engaging in windows of the flexible drive member.
Data Source
AI summary
A drive unit comprising a guide channel that has a first pulley at one end that rotates about a fixed pulley axis. The drive unit also includes a flexible drive member having a plurality of spaced windows, an attachment assembly moveably attached to the guide channel, and an adjustable pulley assembly coupled to the guide channel that has a second pulley that rotates around a moveable pulley axis that can be adjusted to change the distance between the fixed pulley axis and the moveable pulley axis to take up slack in the flexible drive member.