Cylinder Propping System Using Nested Locking Sleeve
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional cylinder propping systems for vehicles are heavy and require manual manipulation by operators, posing safety risks and inefficiencies due to their large size and weight, especially when preventing accidental retraction of cylinders during vehicle operation.
Innovation Solution
A cylinder propping system comprising a sleeve with a locking member that engages with the cylinder housing to prevent movement, reducing the effort required for activation and minimizing the system's size by surrounding the cylinder assembly, thus eliminating the need for large, heavy support arms.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If long arms are used to prevent cylinder retraction, then the propping function is reliable, but the system becomes heavy and complex
Solution Approach 1:
The locking member is received within the hollow cylindrical sleeve, creating a nested structure where the locking mechanism is contained inside the protective housing. This eliminates the need for external heavy support arms while maintaining the propping function through the internal locking mechanism that engages with the cylinder rod.
Solution Approach 2:
The invention extracts the essential propping function from the heavy external arm structure and implements it through a compact internal locking mechanism within the sleeve. This separates the protective housing function (sleeve) from the locking function (locking member), allowing both to be optimized independently in a space-efficient manner.
2Strength
If heavy steel arms are used to support raised components, then adequate support is ensured, but manual manipulation becomes difficult and unsafe
Solution Approach 1:
The locking member fits within the hollow sleeve structure, creating a compact nested assembly that provides strong support capability through the locking mechanism while requiring minimal space and operator effort. The nested design allows the operator to manipulate a small locking member rather than moving heavy external arms.
Solution Approach 2:
The locking member acts as an intermediary mechanism that provides the necessary support function without requiring direct manipulation of heavy components. The operator interacts with the small locking member which then engages to provide the strong support, mediating between operator capability and support requirement.
3Reliability
If large propping systems are used to prevent cylinder retraction, then safety is improved, but the system size increases and requires more vehicle space
Solution Approach 1:
The locking member is nested within the hollow cylindrical sleeve, creating a compact integrated structure that provides safety functionality without requiring additional external space. This nested configuration allows the propping system to be compact while maintaining reliable safety function through the internal locking mechanism.
Solution Approach 2:
The invention merges the protective housing (sleeve) and locking mechanism (locking member) into a single integrated assembly. This combination eliminates the need for separate large propping components, achieving both safety and compactness by combining multiple functions into one space-efficient structure.
4Reliability
If multiple heavy components are used for propping, then the propping function is robust, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The nested structure of the locking member within the sleeve integrates multiple functions into a single compact assembly, reducing device complexity while maintaining robust propping function. The nested design allows the locking mechanism and protective housing to work together as one unified system rather than separate components.
Solution Approach 2:
The invention combines the protective housing and locking mechanism into an integrated assembly, merging multiple functions into one structure. This reduces the number of separate components and simplifies the overall system while maintaining the robust propping function through the combined structure.
Data Source
AI summary
A cylinder propping system includes a sleeve and a locking member. The sleeve includes an outer wall that defines an inner cavity and a ledge. The inner cavity is sized to receive at least a portion of a cylinder assembly therein. A first end of the outer wall is configured to hingedly couple to one end of the cylinder assembly. The ledge is spaced apart from the first end. The locking member is sized to engage with the ledge, between the ledge and a cylinder housing of the cylinder assembly, to prevent movement of the cylinder housing in at least one direction along a central axis of the sleeve.