Counterbalanced Display Hinge for Safe Elevated Maintenance
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Maintenance personnel face difficulties in comfortably reaching and handling elevated displays on electronic gaming machines, which can weigh over fifty pounds, posing safety risks due to the need for ladders and excessive manual lifting.
Innovation Solution
A counter-balanced hinging mechanism is coupled to the monitor frame, allowing it to pivot between horizontal and vertical orientations, with a bias member applying variable force to maintain intermediate positions, facilitating safe and effortless movement and positioning of the display.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Illumination intensity
If the display is positioned high above the flooring surface, then operational visibility is improved, but maintenance requires climbing elevating devices which compromises work safety
Solution Approach 1:
The hinge assembly enables dynamic repositioning of the display from a high visible position during operation to a low safe position during maintenance. This eliminates the need for maintenance personnel to climb ladders or elevating devices, thereby removing the safety hazard while preserving operational visibility.
2Strength
If the display weighs in excess of fifty pounds, then the display structure is robust, but lifting and positioning the display above head level comprises the work safety of the maintenance technician
Solution Approach 1:
The hinge assembly provides a mechanical advantage system that allows the heavy display to be lowered and repositioned with minimal effort. Instead of requiring maintenance personnel to lift the fifty-pound display above their heads, the hinge mechanism enables controlled lowering and positioning, eliminating the safety risk associated with heavy manual lifting.
3Ease of operation
If a counter-balanced hinging mechanism is used to facilitate easy positioning, then manual effort is reduced, but the device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The counter-balanced hinge assembly incorporates a spring mechanism that provides counterbalancing force to offset the weight of the display. This allows the display to be easily positioned and held at various angles with minimal manual effort, as the spring counteracts gravitational force, resolving the contradiction between ease of operation and device complexity.
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 counter-balanced hinging mechanism reduces manual effort required for display positioning and maintenance, ensuring safe access and cost-effective maintenance of elevated displays by allowing easy transition between operational and maintenance positions.
Implementation Method 1
a counter-balanced hinging mechanism coupled to the monitor frame and seating a display monitor within the monitor frame. The counter-balanced hinging mechanism may include at least one arm linkage assembly, and at least one bias member coupled to the at least one arm linkage assembly. The at least one bias member may be configured to apply a variable amount of force to the at least one arm linkage assembly.
Data Source
AI summary
An overhead display assembly includes a display monitor coupled to a monitor tray. The monitor tray is positionable in an operational position and a maintenance position. A support stanchion has an anchoring part, a coupling part, and a stanchion body extending from the anchoring part to the coupling part. The anchoring part is coupleable to a fixed vertical or horizontal supporting structure. A counter-balanced hinging mechanism has one or more pivots upon which monitor tray is configured to rotate with respect to said support stanchion. A force producing device is configured to apply a variable amount of force to the monitor tray based upon a position of the display monitor, the variable amount of force being at least a force sufficient to maintain the monitor tray stationary in an intermediate position between the operational position and the maintenance position.