Brake Device for Child Carrier with Guided Spoke Engagement

Resolve Bottlenecks,
Find Innovative Solutions
Generate Solutions

Solution Overview

Problem

Conventional brake devices for child carriers may not ensure complete locking of the wheel, posing a safety risk as the brake stick may not fully engage with the spokes, potentially leaving a baby on the carrier unprotected.

Innovation Solution

A brake device comprising a base unit, an operable unit, a brake unit, and a positioning unit, where the operable unit is pivotally connected to the base unit and includes guiding grooves and holes to ensure the brake unit is securely positioned between the spokes for locking and releasing the wheel, with an elastic member providing a biasing force and a click sound for user confirmation.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Reliability

If a conventional brake pedal is used to lock the wheel, then the braking function is provided, but the brake stick may not be completely moved into engagement with the spokes, reducing reliability

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvebrake engagement reliabilityVSAvoidbrake operation simplicity
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSEase of operation

Solution Approach 1:

The guiding groove is designed to pre-position the brake stick along a predetermined path, ensuring that the brake stick is automatically guided into complete engagement with the spokes before the braking force is applied. This preliminary guidance action prevents incomplete engagement and ensures reliable brake activation.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #10Preliminary action

Solution Approach 2:

The guiding groove acts as an intermediary mechanism between the brake pedal and the brake stick. It mediates the motion transmission, ensuring that the pedal's movement is accurately converted into complete engagement of the brake stick with the spokes, eliminating the uncertainty of direct engagement.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

2Reliability

If the brake stick is made to fully engage with the spokes, then braking reliability is improved, but the complexity of the brake device increases

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvewheel locking reliabilityVSAvoidbrake device structure
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The brake device is segmented into functional components: the brake pedal, the brake stick, and the guiding groove. The guiding groove is further segmented into different sections (first guiding section, second guiding section) that handle different stages of the engagement process, making the complex engagement sequence manageable and reliable.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

Instead of designing a complex mechanism to push the brake stick into engagement, the invention inverts the approach by using a guiding groove that passively guides the brake stick into position through its geometry. The groove's shape itself provides the engagement mechanism, simplifying the overall structure while ensuring complete engagement.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #13The other way round (Inversion)

3Reliability

If a guiding groove mechanism is added to ensure complete brake engagement, then reliability is improved, but the device complexity increases

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvebrake activation certaintyVSAvoidbrake device components
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The guiding groove is merged with the base structure of the brake device, integrating the guidance function into the existing components rather than adding a separate guiding mechanism. This merging reduces the number of discrete parts while maintaining the reliability benefits of guided engagement.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #5Merging (Combining)

Solution Approach 2:

The guiding groove serves multiple functions: it guides the brake stick into engagement, defines the engagement position, provides structural support, and ensures proper alignment. This multi-functionality reduces the need for additional components, maintaining simplicity while improving reliability.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #6Universality (Multi-functionality)

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 brake device effectively locks and releases the wheel of the child carrier, ensuring safety by ensuring complete engagement and disengagement of the brake unit with the spokes, providing a secure braking mechanism and user feedback.

Implementation Method 1

an elastic member for providing biasing force to the positioning component

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectElasticity: Elasticity

Data Source

PatentEP2669144B1Brake device and child carrier provided with the same
Publication Date: 2017.09.27 WONDERLAND NURSERYGOODS CO LTD
  • EP2669144B1 patent drawingFigure 1
  • EP2669144B1 patent drawingFigure 2
  • EP2669144B1 patent drawingFigure 3~4

AI summary

A brake device is disposed at a child carrier including a frame (1) and at least one wheel unit (2) that includes a hub (22) and a plurality of spokes (221) radiating from the hub (22). The brake device includes a base unit (4), an operable unit (5), a brake unit (6), and a positioning unit (7). The base unit (4) is connected to the frame (1) and is formed with a first guiding groove (43) and a through hole (42). The operable unit (5) is pivotally connected to the base unit (4) and includes at least one side wall (51) formedwithapositioninghole (52) andasecondguiding groove (54). The brake unit (6) is ,disposed slidably in the first and second guiding grooves (43, 54). The positioning unit (7) is disposed in the through hole (42) and includes a positioning component (71) and an elastic member (72) elastically abutting against the positioning component (71).