Passenger Bridge Cabin Suspension Pivot Arm
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional passenger bridge cabin support systems are complex and tedious to install and maintain, prone to metal fatigue, and require frequent adjustments due to the use of chain drives and wheels, which can malfunction under harsh weather conditions.
Innovation Solution
A passenger bridge design featuring a pivot arm suspension system with a cabin that rotates about a vertical axis, eliminating the need for chain drives and wheels by using a pivot arm journaled engagement with the bridge head and a horizontal support mechanism, reducing material thickness and maintenance requirements.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If conventional wheel and chain drive support systems are used, then the cabin can be supported and rotated, but the installation and maintenance become tedious and complex
Solution Approach 1:
The patent removes the complex chain drive and wheel components from the support system, extracting only the essential function of supporting and rotating the cabin. The simplified support structure eliminates multiple moving parts that require adjustment and maintenance, while still achieving the required cabin rotation capability through a more direct mechanical connection.
Solution Approach 2:
Instead of using wheels that roll on a circular platform to achieve rotation, the patent inverts the approach by using a support structure that directly enables rotation through a different mechanical principle, eliminating the need for rolling contact and chain drives. This inversion of the conventional support mechanism fundamentally simplifies the system.
2Reliability
If chain drive systems are used for cabin rotation, then the cabin position can be controlled, but the system is prone to malfunction and requires safety duplication
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts the chain drive component entirely from the system, removing the source of malfunctions and reliability issues. By eliminating the chain drive, the patent also removes the need for duplicated chains as a safety precaution, thereby reducing complexity while maintaining or improving reliability through a more robust direct connection.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent replaces the chain drive mechanical system with a different mechanical arrangement that directly connects the support structure to the cabin rotation mechanism. This substitution eliminates the intermediate chain transmission that is prone to malfunction, providing a more reliable and simpler control system for cabin position.
3Stability of the object's composition
If heavy cabin weight is supported by conventional structures, then the cabin can be stable, but metal fatigue occurs in supporting parts
Solution Approach 1:
The patent removes the conventional wheel and chain drive components that are susceptible to metal fatigue from the support system. By extracting these vulnerable parts and replacing them with a simplified support structure, the patent eliminates the metal fatigue problems while maintaining cabin stability through a more robust direct support mechanism.
4Ease of manufacture
If peripheral equipment is installed on the underside of the cabin, then equipment access is possible, but it interferes with the support structure
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts the interfering components (wheels and chain drives) from the cabin underside, removing the obstruction to equipment installation. By eliminating these components, the support structure becomes simpler and does not interfere with peripheral equipment, while equipment can still be easily installed and accessed on the cabin underside.
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 solution provides a robust, reliable, and simplified operation under various weather conditions, minimizing metal fatigue and maintenance needs while allowing for easy installation and operation of peripheral equipment.
Implementation Method 1
a pivot arm in journaled engagement with an upper part of the bridge head so that the cabin can swing in a horizontal plane, about said bridge head periphery
Data Source
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AI summary
Passenger bridge (100) comprising a least one passenger bridge end segment (130); a bridge head (150), arranged at a distal end (131) of said bridge end segment (130); a cabin (160), arranged to move about an outer periphery (152) of the bridge head (150) and comprising a door (161) for passengers; and a cabin suspension (140), arranged to allow the cabin (160) to rotate in relation to the bridge head (150) about a vertical axis (A1). The invention is characterised in that the cabin suspension (140) comprises a pivot arm (141) in journaled engagement with an upper part (151) of the bridge head (150) so that the cabin (160) can swing in a first horizontal plane (P1), and in that a cabin holding part (142) of the pivot arm (141) is fastened to an upper part (162) of the cabin (160), whereby the cabin (160) hangs from the said cabin holding part (142).