Actuated Bicycle Rack Arm With User-Set Retention Position
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current bicycle racks require users to manipulate arms with both hands, making it difficult to hold a bike while opening, placing, or adjusting the rack, often necessitating awkward positions or additional help.
Innovation Solution
An actuated arm mechanism that can be operated with a single hand, featuring an actuator that automatically pivots from a closed to open position and engages a retention position, allowing for easy loading and unloading of bicycles without the need for two-handed operation.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If manual arm manipulation is used in current bicycle racks, then the arm can be positioned to secure bicycles, but the user requires two hands making it difficult to hold the bike while operating the rack
Solution Approach 1:
The arm is equipped with an actuator that automatically positions the arm to secure the bicycle. When the user places the bicycle on the rack, the actuator detects the bicycle's presence and automatically adjusts the arm's position to contact and secure the bicycle, eliminating the need for manual two-handed manipulation while maintaining secure positioning capability
Solution Approach 2:
The manual mechanical manipulation of the arm is replaced with an automated actuation system. The actuator uses mechanical or electromechanical means to automatically position the arm, replacing the need for user hand operations while maintaining the arm's securing function
2Ease of operation
If the arm is held in disengaged configuration during positioning, then the arm can be moved to new positions, but the user must continuously hold the retention mechanism which complicates operation
Solution Approach 1:
The retention mechanism is designed to automatically engage and disengage based on the arm's position. When the arm reaches a secured position, the retention mechanism automatically engages to hold the arm. When the arm needs to be repositioned, the actuator automatically disengages the retention mechanism, eliminating the need for continuous user intervention
3Ease of operation
If automatic actuation is implemented to pivot the arm from closed to open position, then single-handed operation is enabled, but the device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The actuator is triggered automatically by the user's action of placing the bicycle on the rack. The system detects when the bicycle is positioned and automatically initiates the arm pivoting sequence, requiring no additional user input beyond the natural loading action
Solution Approach 2:
The actuator is pre-positioned and pre-loaded to automatically execute the arm pivoting action. The mechanism is prepared in advance to respond to the bicycle placement event, automatically performing the sequence of opening the arm, securing the bicycle, and closing the arm without requiring user intervention at each step
Data Source
AI summary
A bicycle rack is described with an actuated arm that pivots to an open position in response to user activation of the actuator. The actuator is attached to the rack and the arm and exerts a force on the arm by extension to pivot the actuated arm to the open position. The actuator extends only when a release mechanism has been actuated by a user, but a user may pivot the actuated arm back to a closed position, or a position securing a bicycle, without actuating the release. The actuated arm will then be retained at a position selected by the user until the release is actuated by the user again.