Device for producing a rocking motion at a rocker, in particular a baby rocker
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Existing devices for generating rocking movements in baby rockers often fail to maintain the rocker at its natural frequency, leading to inefficient energy transfer and unstable oscillations due to friction losses and lack of precise control over the driving mechanism.
Innovation Solution
A sensor-driven system that detects the rocker's natural frequency and synchronizes the driver's movement with periodic sensor signals, providing pulses to compensate for friction losses and maintain oscillations, using a magnetic sensor and electromagnet to control the energy feeder and ensure the rocker operates at its free oscillation frequency.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If a vibration generator is used to transmit movement to the baby rocker, then the rocker can be stimulated to rock, but the amplitude of vibration decreases over time due to friction losses and the system fails to maintain natural frequency oscillations
Solution Approach 1:
The patent employs a sensor to detect the rocker's oscillation state and feeds this information back to a control circuit, which adjusts the vibration generator's operation accordingly. This closed-loop feedback system enables the device to maintain the rocker at its natural frequency by compensating for energy losses in real-time, resolving the contradiction between maintaining reliable oscillations and overcoming friction losses.
Solution Approach 2:
The control circuit is designed to activate the vibration generator in periodic pulses synchronized with the rocker's natural oscillation frequency. Rather than continuous operation, the system delivers periodic impulses that reinforce the natural oscillations, maintaining motion while minimizing energy consumption and compensating for friction losses efficiently.
2Loss of energy
If the driver continuously acts on the rocker to maintain oscillations, then friction losses can be compensated, but the rocker cannot complete its full oscillation range due to the driver being in the way
Solution Approach 1:
The system uses periodic, pulsed activation of the vibration generator rather than continuous action. The driver delivers brief impulses at specific phases of the oscillation cycle, providing enough energy to compensate for friction losses while allowing the rocker to swing through its full range of motion without continuous interference from the driver mechanism.
Solution Approach 2:
The control system timing is calibrated to activate the driver in advance of the rocker's return swing, delivering the compensating impulse before the rocker reaches the driver's position. This preliminary action ensures energy compensation occurs without the driver physically blocking the rocker's complete oscillation path.
3Power
If the driver stroke is made longer to increase energy transfer, then more energy can be fed to the rocker, but the rocker arm stroke becomes limited because it is greater than the driver stroke
Solution Approach 1:
The system delivers energy through concentrated periodic impulses rather than continuous force application. The brief, high-magnitude pulses from the vibration generator efficiently transfer energy to the rocker during optimal phases of oscillation, achieving effective power transfer without requiring the driver stroke to match or exceed the rocker arm stroke length.
Solution Approach 2:
The control circuit dynamically adjusts the timing, duration, and intensity of vibration generator activation based on the rocker's oscillation state. By optimizing these parameters, the system maximizes energy transfer efficiency within the constraints of the driver-stroke-to-rocker-stroke ratio, ensuring adequate power delivery without mechanical interference.
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 system effectively maintains the rocker at its natural frequency, reducing energy loss and ensuring a stable, soothing rocking motion by compensating for friction and optimizing energy transfer through precise timing of impulses.
Implementation Method 1
The sensor is a magnetic sensor. In particular, it is a Hall sensor. The trigger, which interacts with the sensor, is preferably a magnet, with the polar axis of the magnet being aligned parallel to the direction of movement of the driver, so that the direction of the magnetic field changes there when the trigger moves past the sensor.
Implementation Method 2
The control circuit energizes an electromagnet that accelerates the driver in the upward direction. It is considered advantageous if the driver has a first magnet which is subjected to force by an electromagnet to generate the pulse.
Implementation Method 3
A lifting or pushing head can be arranged at the free end of the driver. This can exert a vertical stroke. It is envisaged that the driver is acted upon by means of a tension or compression spring in an upper rest position, in which the driver rests against an upper stop.
Implementation Method 4
the rocker, in particular baby rocker, baby seat or baby seat, oscillates with its natural oscillation. The movement of the driver, which acts on the rocker, is clocked with the sensor signal from the sensor. The rocker is thereby driven at the frequency of its free oscillation.
Data Source
Figure 1~4
Figure 5
Figure 6
AI summary
The invention relates to a device for producing a rocking motion at a rocker (1), in particular a baby rocker, comprising a driver (10), which can be moved by an energy feed-in means (9) and which drives the rocker (10) in a repetitive motion, a sensor (20) for determining a sensor signal influenced by the state of motion of the rocker (1), and a control circuit (22) for controlling the energy feed-in means (9) according to the sensor signal. In order to drive the rocker (1) at the frequency of its free vibration, the motion of the driver (10) is clocked by the sensor signal.