Directional Castor with Elastic Bar Micro-Adjustment
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional castors with toothed mechanisms often misalign, leading to inconvenient and repeated attempts to engage braking mechanisms, resulting in wear and reduced lifespan due to excessive force applied during alignment.
Innovation Solution
A castor structure featuring a directional brake system with a bent elastic bar that provides micro-adjustment to align directional toothed grooves with locking teeth, ensuring precise engagement without trial-and-error, and a buffering effect to facilitate easy and quick braking.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If the first toothed mechanism and second toothed mechanism are used for braking, then the braking function is achieved, but the alignment precision deteriorates causing misalignment during movement
Solution Approach 1:
The elastic bar serves as an intermediary element between the drive shank and the toothed mechanisms. It provides a buffering action that absorbs misalignment forces and enables the toothed mechanisms to engage smoothly without requiring precise alignment, thus resolving the contradiction between reliable braking and alignment precision
Solution Approach 2:
The patent introduces an elastic bar that changes its physical state (bending/elongating) to accommodate alignment variations. This parameter change allows the system to adapt to misalignment conditions while maintaining reliable braking function
2Reliability
If trial-and-error alignment is performed to engage the toothed mechanisms, then the braking function is achieved, but the operation time increases
Solution Approach 1:
The elastic bar acts as a mediator that eliminates the need for trial-and-error alignment by providing a buffering action during engagement. This allows the toothed mechanisms to engage smoothly on the first attempt, significantly reducing operation time while maintaining reliable braking
3Reliability
If excessive force is applied during alignment attempts, then the toothed mechanisms are forced to engage, but the wear increases reducing lifetime
Solution Approach 1:
The elastic bar provides beforehand cushioning by absorbing misalignment forces before they reach the toothed mechanisms. This prevents excessive force from being applied during engagement, reducing wear and extending the lifetime of the braking components while maintaining reliable braking function
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 castor structure achieves durable and convenient braking by ensuring precise alignment of toothed mechanisms, reducing wear and improving operational efficiency, allowing for easy and quick braking without excessive force.
Implementation Method 1
a bent elastic bar mounted on the directional member... the elastic bar is extended outward by the annular groove of the drive shank when the drive shank is moved, to provide a buffering micro-adjustment effect
Data Source
AI summary
A castor structure includes a wheel support unit, an operation unit, a locking member, a directional member, a directional brake member, a bent elastic bar, and two resting members. The operation unit includes a drive shank formed with an annular groove which has an upper tapered face and a lower tapered face. The locking member includes a plurality of locking teeth. The directional brake member includes a plurality of directional toothed grooves. The elastic bar extends through the directional member and the annular groove. Thus, the elastic bar is stretched outward by the annular groove of the drive shank when the drive shank is moved downward, to provide a micro-adjustment effect, such that the directional toothed grooves of the directional brake member align with and exactly engage the locking teeth of the locking member.