Container Cover Assembly Shaft Support Segmentation
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Existing cover arrangements for containers suffer from high friction and wear during rolling movements, leading to inefficient operation and potential tilting issues, which can impair handling and require frequent replacement of rubber bands for improved friction.
Innovation Solution
A cover arrangement with a separate support means, such as a rolling disk or sleeve, that supports the shaft on the guide device, allowing for low-friction rolling and preventing spinning, combined with a gear wheel and toothed rack section for smooth movement and reduced wear.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If the shaft is supported by gears at their respective axial ends, then the shaft can be supported on the guide device, but greater friction occurs during the rolling movement of the shaft
Solution Approach 1:
The support function is segmented into two independent components: the gear wheel for preventing spinning and the separate support means (rolling disk or sleeve) for supporting the shaft weight. This separation allows each component to perform its specific function optimally without the gear wheel bearing the shaft load, thus reducing friction while maintaining support stability.
Solution Approach 2:
The separate support means acts as an intermediary between the shaft and the guide device, bearing the shaft weight and transferring it to the guide device. This intermediary prevents the gear wheel from supporting the shaft weight, thereby eliminating the friction problem while maintaining reliable shaft support.
2Reliability
If frictional engagement is improved by a rubber band attached to the guide device, then rolling movement is improved, but relatively high wear occurs on the shaft and on the guide device
Solution Approach 1:
The friction-based mechanical engagement (rubber band) is replaced with a form-fit mechanical engagement (toothed rack and gear wheel). This substitution provides reliable rolling movement through positive mechanical engagement rather than friction, significantly reducing wear on the shaft and guide device while eliminating the need for rubber band replacement.
3Ease of operation
If frictional connection is insufficient, then the shaft may rotate but does not move or moves only slightly due to slippage, but the shaft and the guide device tilt, so that the rolling movement of the shaft is severely impaired
Solution Approach 1:
The separate support means serves as a stabilizing intermediary that prevents tilting of the shaft and guide device by providing stable support points. This ensures proper alignment and prevents slippage, allowing the shaft to move smoothly without tilting that would impair rolling movement.
Solution Approach 2:
The engagement mechanism changes from friction-based (prone to slippage and tilting) to form-fit-based (toothed rack and gear wheel). This parameter change in the engagement type ensures sufficient connection force without slippage while maintaining stable alignment through the geometric constraint of the toothed engagement.
4Reliability
If support forces are supported via the gear wheel, then the shaft can be supported, but more wear occurs on the gear wheel
Solution Approach 1:
The support function is segmented from the gear wheel to a separate support means. The gear wheel is responsible only for preventing shaft spinning through form-fit engagement, while the separate support means (rolling disk or sleeve) bears the shaft weight. This segmentation eliminates wear on the gear wheel from support forces while maintaining reliable shaft support.
Solution Approach 2:
The support function is extracted from the gear wheel and assigned to a separate support means. This extraction removes the harmful combination of support forces and gear engagement, allowing the gear wheel to function solely as a spinning prevention mechanism with minimal wear, while the separate support means handles all load-bearing functions.
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
Enables a defined, low-friction rolling movement with reduced wear on the shaft and guide device, preventing tilting and ensuring safe and simple operation, while eliminating the need for support forces through the gear wheel.
Implementation Method 1
a rolling disk (38) which is non-rotatably connected to the shaft (22)... enables a defined rolling movement of the shaft relative to guide device (34), with the shaft being mounted on the guide device (34) with low friction
Implementation Method 2
the shaft on the guide device supported axial end of the shaft with the shaft rotatably connected gear (40) is arranged... the gear wheel and the rolling disk can be arranged one behind the other in the axial direction
Implementation Method 3
the guide device comprises a toothed rack section that can be brought into engagement or is stationary with the gear wheel... the rolling movement of the shaft or gear wheel is converted into a translatory displacement of the bearing block
Implementation Method 4
the guide device comprises a carrier section that supports the rolling disk or the bearing block... If the shaft is mounted in the sleeve, the sleeve slides along the guide device by means of the bearing block (plain bearing)
Data Source
Figure 1
Figure 2
Figure 3
AI summary
The assembly (24) has a shaft (22) extending from one side wall (14) to another side wall (18). A guiding device (34) is fastened at a hollow container (10). The shaft is supported at the guiding device with an axial end (32) opposite to a drive device i.e. crank-handle (26), and rotated at the guiding device under a form closure. A gear wheel is non-rotatably connected with the shaft and arranged at the shaft axial end. A supporting unit is provided at the axial end and separated from the wheel. The unit is supported by the shaft at the guiding device, and movable along the guiding device. An independent claim is also included for a load transport vehicle comprising a container.