Ball Wheel with Non-Circular Opening for Omni-Directional Support
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Existing omni-directional wheels and casters face limitations in providing stable, omni-directional rolling support across various orientations and surfaces, particularly in preventing ball displacement and ensuring continuous contact with the underlying surface, especially when subjected to dynamic forces and braking.
Innovation Solution
The design incorporates a non-circular ball opening with a major and minor angular extent, a peripheral lip, and a bearing arrangement that includes micro-casters and ball bearings, along with a tracker wheel and suspension and brake units, to maintain omni-directional movement and support across vertical, horizontal, and inclined orientations.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If a ball transfer unit is used with a circular ball opening, then the ball can rotate freely in any direction, but the ball may become displaced or lose contact with the underlying surface under dynamic forces
Solution Approach 1:
The ball opening is changed from a circular symmetric shape to a non-circular asymmetric shape with a major angular extent and minor angular extent. This asymmetric geometry provides different clearance characteristics in different directions, allowing the ball to maintain contact with the underlying surface while still permitting omni-directional rotation. The non-circular shape creates asymmetric constraints that prevent ball displacement in critical directions while maintaining rotational freedom.
Solution Approach 2:
A peripheral lip is introduced as an intermediary element around the ball opening. This lip acts as a mediator between the ball and the shell, providing guidance and constraint to the ball's movement. The peripheral lip ensures the ball remains properly positioned and maintains continuous contact with the underlying surface during dynamic operation, while not completely restricting the ball's rotational freedom.
2Reliability
If the ball opening is made non-circular to prevent ball displacement, then surface contact is maintained, but the omni-directional movement capability may be constrained
Solution Approach 1:
The non-circular ball opening with different major and minor angular extents creates asymmetric constraints that are strategically designed to maintain ball stability in vertical and horizontal orientations while preserving rotational freedom. The asymmetric geometry allows the ball to rotate in multiple directions by providing appropriate clearance in each direction, while the shape itself prevents excessive displacement that would lose surface contact.
Solution Approach 2:
The ball wheel system is designed to adapt dynamically to different operating conditions and orientations. The non-circular opening geometry automatically adjusts the ball's available movement space based on the article's orientation (vertical, horizontal, or inclined), providing appropriate constraints in each orientation while maintaining omni-directional rolling capability.
3Adaptability or versatility
If micro-casters and ball bearings are added to the bearing arrangement, then omni-directional movement is enhanced, but the device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
Multiple bearing functions are merged into a single integrated bearing arrangement structure. The micro-casters and ball bearings are combined within the same shell and ball opening configuration, creating a unified bearing system that provides omni-directional support without requiring separate mechanisms for each function. This merging approach enhances versatility while managing complexity through integration.
4Measurement precision
If a tracker wheel is added to enhance rotational tracking, then movement precision is improved, but the device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The tracker wheel is designed to serve multiple functions: it provides rotational tracking precision, maintains ball positioning, and contributes to the overall structural integrity of the ball wheel assembly. This multi-functionality approach allows the added component to justify its presence by delivering multiple benefits rather than a single function, thereby managing the complexity trade-off.
5Reliability
If suspension and brake units are added, then dynamic performance is improved, but the device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The suspension unit and brake unit are integrated into the existing ball wheel structure, merging multiple functions (support, shock absorption, braking) into a unified assembly. This integration approach allows the addition of dynamic performance features while managing overall complexity through shared structural elements and compact arrangement within the ball wheel housing.
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
This configuration ensures continuous contact with the surface, prevents ball displacement, enhances rotational tracking, and provides stable omni-directional rolling support, even under dynamic conditions, while allowing for efficient braking and shock absorption.
Implementation Method 1
a bearing arrangement supports the ball for omni-directional rotational movement
Implementation Method 2
a suspension unit arranged around the neck and configured to absorb shocks experienced by the ball as it passes over the underlying surface
Data Source
AI summary
An article movement system includes an article and at least one ball wheel. The article has first and second article surfaces meeting at a first article edge. The ball wheel is located along the first article edge and includes a ball, a bearing arrangement and a shell. The ball engages a surface underlying the article, the bearing arrangement supports the ball for omni-directional rotational movement, and the shell is located along the first article edge and contains the ball and the bearing arrangement. The shell defines a non-circular ball opening through which a portion of the ball extends to contact the underlying surface. The article, the bearing arrangement and the shell are configured such that the ball wheel is able to support the article for omni-directional rolling motion over the underlying surface with either of the first and article surfaces parallel thereto, and at any orientation therebetween.