Brake Cable Housing Encloses Slack Portion
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing brake cable systems in height-adjustable patient transport apparatuses are prone to entanglement and premature wear, and are often complex and costly due to their configuration.
Innovation Solution
A brake cable system with a slack portion enclosed within a brake cable housing, which is axially offset from the height-adjustable assembly, and a brake cable housing that receives and encloses the slack portion, reducing the risk of entanglement and simplifying the design.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If the brake cable is provided with slack by looping it at the lower end of the telescoping members, then the telescoping members can extend between extended and retracted positions, but the cable wires are susceptible to being entangled with other objects or a person's clothing
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts the slack portion of the brake cable from the telescoping mechanism area and relocates it to a dedicated cable housing. This separation removes the entanglement hazard from the operational zone while preserving the cable's functional slack for telescoping movement.
Solution Approach 2:
The brake cable housing provides a nested containment structure where the slack portion of the brake cable is housed within the cable housing. This nested arrangement protects the cable slack from external entanglement while allowing it to function internally.
2Adaptability or versatility
If the cable wires are looped at the lower end of the telescoping members to provide slack, then the telescoping members can extend between positions, but the wire may be subject to premature wear and damage
Solution Approach 1:
The cable housing creates a protective nested environment for the brake cable, shielding it from external sources of wear and damage while allowing the cable to maintain its slack and function during telescoping operations.
Solution Approach 2:
By extracting the cable from direct exposure to the external environment and placing it within the protective housing, the patent removes the cable from harmful conditions that would cause premature wear and damage.
3Adaptability or versatility
If the cable wires are looped to provide slack for telescoping members, then the members can extend between positions, but such configuration may inhibit safe operation by causing persons to become entangled and fall down
Solution Approach 1:
The patent removes the hazardous slack cable configuration from the operational space by placing it within the cable housing, eliminating the entanglement risk to persons while preserving the telescoping extension capability.
Solution Approach 2:
The cable housing provides a nested containment that secures the brake cable slack away from persons, preventing entanglement and falls while allowing the telescoping mechanism to operate freely.
Data Source
AI summary
A patient transport apparatus includes a height-adjustable assembly having a longitudinal axis. The apparatus includes a brake cable. The brake cable includes an elongate portion extending along the height-adjustable assembly and includes a slack portion. The apparatus includes a brake cable housing coupled to and axially offset from the height-adjustable assembly. The slack portion of the brake cable is enclosed within a hollow interior of the brake cable housing.