Mechanic's Creeper with Adjustable Wheel Mounts
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing creeper devices do not effectively allow users to comfortably and efficiently roll on the ground while performing mechanical work, as they lack adjustable height and do not accommodate uneven terrain or snowy conditions.
Innovation Solution
A creeper device with a panel that can be worn on the back, featuring a pair of wheel mounts with engagement points and removable wheel units that can be adjusted to space the panel from the ground, allowing for customizable height and improved mobility over uneven surfaces.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If fixed wheel position is used, then device structure is simple, but cannot accommodate uneven terrain or snowy conditions
Solution Approach 1:
The wheel mount incorporates multiple engagement points at different positions, allowing the wheel position to be dynamically adjusted based on terrain conditions. The wheel can be moved between fixed engagement points to change the panel height relative to the ground, enabling adaptation to uneven terrain and snowy conditions while maintaining a relatively simple structure.
Solution Approach 2:
The wheel mount is segmented into multiple discrete engagement points rather than a continuous adjustment mechanism. This segmentation allows for simplified construction while providing multiple fixed positions for wheel attachment, enabling height adjustment to accommodate varying ground conditions without requiring complex continuous adjustment mechanisms.
2Speed
If panel is close to ground, then traction is better, but cannot roll over hills and depressions
Solution Approach 1:
The system allows dynamic adjustment of the panel height relative to the ground by changing wheel positions among multiple engagement points. When encountering hills or depressions, the wheel position can be adjusted to increase clearance, improving mobility over uneven terrain while maintaining adequate traction when on level surfaces.
3Speed
If wheel size is increased for better terrain handling, then mobility improves, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The wheel unit is designed as a universal component that can be attached at multiple positions on the wheel mount. Rather than providing multiple wheel sizes, the same wheel provides different effective diameters depending on its attachment position, achieving varied terrain handling capabilities with a single wheel design and reducing overall device complexity.
Data Source
AI summary
A mechanic's creeper assembly includes a panel that can be worn on a user's back. A first belt is slidably coupled to the panel and the first belt can be wrapped around the user to retain the panel on the user's back. A second belt is slidably coupled to the panel and the second belt can be wrapped around the user to retain the panel on the user's back. A pair of wheel mounts is each of the wheel mounts is coupled to opposite sides of the panel and each of the wheel mounts has a plurality of engagement points thereon. A pair of wheel units is provided and each of the wheel units is removably coupled to a respective one of the wheel mounts for rolling along the ground. Each of the wheel units engages a selected one of the engagement points in the respective wheel mount thereby spacing each of wheel units a selectable distance below the panel.