Industrial Caster Spring Member with Relief Areas for Load Adaptation
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Solution Overview
Problem
Industrial caster wheels face challenges in adjusting spring stiffness and height to accommodate varying operational conditions, such as moving pallets over uneven surfaces and high-speed turns, due to constraints in the design of the spring member and its adjustment mechanism.
Innovation Solution
The design incorporates relief areas in the spring member to allow lateral expansion when the load increases, with the spring-force-adjusting mechanism applying force in a direction aligned with the applied load, and a bolt system for adjusting the spring force, ensuring effective deformation and maintaining lateral constraint.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Stability of the object's composition
If the spring member is constrained laterally to maintain stability during high-speed turns, then the caster wheel can take high-speed turns over even surfaces while avoiding tipping, but the spring member cannot deform sufficiently to absorb shocks when moving over uneven surfaces
Solution Approach 1:
The spring member is segmented into multiple regions including laterally constrained regions and laterally unrestrained regions. This segmentation allows different parts of the spring member to perform different functions: the constrained regions provide lateral stability during high-speed turns, while the unrestrained regions allow lateral expansion for shock absorption when moving over uneven surfaces.
Solution Approach 2:
Different regions of the spring member have different lateral constraint properties. The spring member includes laterally constrained regions that restrict lateral movement and laterally unrestrained regions that permit lateral expansion. This local variation in quality enables the spring member to simultaneously provide stability and adaptability under different operating conditions.
2Force
If the spring-force adjusting mechanism applies force perpendicular to the spring member axis, then the spring force can be adjusted, but the adjustment mechanism increases device complexity and may not effectively maintain lateral constraint
Solution Approach 1:
Instead of applying adjustment force perpendicular to the spring member axis as in conventional designs, this invention applies the spring-force adjusting force axially along the spring member axis. This inverted approach simplifies the adjustment mechanism while maintaining effective lateral constraint and spring force adjustment capability.
Solution Approach 2:
The axial adjustment mechanism serves multiple functions: it adjusts the spring force, maintains lateral constraint on the spring member, and works effectively with both constrained and unrestrained regions. This multi-functional design reduces overall device complexity compared to specialized perpendicular adjustment mechanisms.
3Strength
If the spring member is allowed to expand laterally when load increases, then the spring can effectively deform to absorb shocks, but the spring member may become unstable during high-speed turns
Solution Approach 1:
The spring member is divided into laterally constrained regions and laterally unrestrained regions. The unrestrained regions allow lateral expansion for effective shock absorption when load increases, while the constrained regions maintain lateral stability during high-speed turns, preventing the entire spring member from becoming unstable.
Solution Approach 2:
Different regions of the spring member have different lateral constraint properties tailored to their specific functions. The laterally unrestrained regions provide the compliance needed for shock absorption, while the laterally constrained regions provide the rigidity needed for stability during high-speed turns, resolving the contradiction between these two requirements.
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
This solution allows for precise adjustment of spring force and height, enabling the caster wheels to handle varying loads and surfaces effectively, ensuring stability and efficiency in both low-speed and high-speed operations.
Implementation Method 1
The spring member is deformable in a vertical direction between a first contact plate and a second contact plate to dampen changes in a surface over which the caster wheel moves
Implementation Method 2
the spring member includes relief areas that allow the spring member to expand laterally when a load applied to the spring member increases
Data Source
AI summary
A spring-force-adjustable and height-adjustable industrial caster wheel includes spring assembly, a mounting plate, a swivel assembly that swivels relative to the mounting plate, and a spring housing having a spring space in which the spring assembly is located. The spring force of the spring assembly is adjustable by pre-loading the spring assembly along the top-to-bottom direction along which the caster load is applied. The spring assembly includes a spring member having one or more relief areas on one or more of its side and/or end surfaces and/or internally within the spring member. These one or more relief areas allow the spring member to easily deform under the pre-load force or under increasing caster load forces without compromising the ability of the spring space to constrain lateral movements of the spring assembly or the ability of the spring member to deform elastically and/or avoid undergoing plastic deformations.