Caster Brake Linkage for Childcare Wheels Without Wire Twisting
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional wheeled childcare devices experience twisting of wires or cables due to friction between components as the caster rotates, leading to potential malfunction of the braking mechanism.
Innovation Solution
A wheeled childcare device with a brake mechanism that includes a pair of lock members, an operating member, and a connecting member, where the lock members displace between engaged and disengaged positions, and a guide portion along the arm member's elongated hole, ensuring the braking operation is not interfered with by the pivoting motion of the arm members, and uses biasing members to maintain the braking state.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If a wire connects the operating member to the lock members in conventional caster-based braking mechanisms, then the braking force can be transmitted to the wheels, but the wire twists as the caster rotates due to friction between components
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces an intermediate member (rotating member) between the wire and the lock member. This rotating member acts as a mediator that allows the lock member to rotate with the caster while the wire remains stationary, preventing wire twisting. The rotating member transfers the braking force from the wire to the lock member without transmitting the rotational motion to the wire.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent segments the connection system into distinct functional components: the wire for force transmission, the rotating member for motion isolation, and the lock member for braking application. This segmentation allows each component to perform its specific function without interfering with others, particularly preventing the wire from twisting while still enabling the lock member to rotate with the caster.
2Ease of operation
If the lock member is directly connected to the operating member via a wire, then the braking operation can be activated, but the pivoting motion of the arm members interferes with the braking state
Solution Approach 1:
The rotating member serves as an intermediary that decouples the braking force transmission from the pivoting motion. It allows the wire to pull the lock member into the engaged position while isolating the lock member's rotational movement from the wire, ensuring the braking state remains stable even when the arm members pivot.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent makes the connection system dynamic by allowing the rotating member to rotate freely with the caster while maintaining the braking force transmission. This dynamic capability enables the braking mechanism to maintain its engaged state while accommodating the natural pivoting motion of the arm members and caster rotation.
Data Source
AI summary
A wheeled childcare device is provided that can reliably reduce or eliminate the possibility of twisting of a wire. The wheeled childcare device includes legs, a caster mechanism, and a brake mechanism. The brake mechanism is configured to stop rotation of a pair of wheels, and includes a pair of lock members, an operating member, and a connecting member connecting the operating member with the lock members. The connecting member includes: an elongated member passing through a position different from a swivel axis of the caster mechanism; a pair of moving members connected to the elongated member and configured to move in response to an operation of the operating member; and a pair of driven members each configured to be rotatable relative to a corresponding one of the moving members, and each provided with a lock support portion that supports a shaft of a corresponding one of the lock members.