Expandable Mobile Workstation Cutting Zone Depth

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Solution Overview

Problem

Mobile workstations are often too large to move through construction sites and can only accommodate a limited number of cutting tools due to their size, restricting flexibility and tool variety.

Innovation Solution

A mobile workstation with an expandable portion that adjusts the depth of the cutting zone, allowing larger tools like chop saws or mitre saws to be used while fitting through standard doorways in a compact configuration, and a reconfigurable supporting arm for workpieces that eliminates the need for multiple tools.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Length of moving object

If the workstation is made compact to move through doorways, then mobility is improved, but the cutting zone depth is reduced making it impossible to use larger cutting tools

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvedepth of cutting zoneVSAvoidability to use different cutting tools
Core Design Contradiction:
Length of moving objectVSAdaptability or versatility

Solution Approach 1:

The workstation incorporates an expandable portion that can be moved between extended and retracted positions. When extended, the cutting zone depth increases to accommodate larger cutting tools like chop saws and mitre saws. When retracted, the workstation returns to its compact form for easy mobility through doorways and constrained spaces. This dynamic transformation allows the workstation to adapt its size based on operational requirements.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #15Dynamics

2Adaptability or versatility

If the workstation size is increased to accommodate larger cutting tools, then tool versatility is improved, but mobility through construction sites is reduced

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvevariety of cutting toolsVSAvoidoverall workstation size
Core Design Contradiction:
Adaptability or versatilityVSLength of moving object

Solution Approach 1:

The workstation is divided into fixed portions and an expandable portion. The expandable portion includes an expandable back wall and an expandable work surface that can be independently or jointly moved to increase cutting zone depth. This segmentation allows the workstation to maintain a compact base size for mobility while providing the capability to expand when larger tools need to be accommodated.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #1Segmentation

3Length of moving object

If the expandable portion is added to increase cutting zone depth, then device complexity is increased, but manufacturing cost increases

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvedepth of cutting zoneVSAvoidmechanism complexity
Core Design Contradiction:
Length of moving objectVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The expandable back wall and expandable work surface are coupled together to move as a single unit. This merging of functions simplifies the overall mechanism by reducing the number of independent moving parts. The coupled movement ensures that gaps between the back wall and work surface are eliminated or covered, maintaining an enclosed cutting zone for noise cancellation and dust containment while simplifying the expansion mechanism.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #5Merging (Combining)

Data Source

PatentEP3434403B1workstation
Publication Date: 2020.02.26 ARMORGARD
  • EP3434403B1 patent drawingFigure 1(a)~1(b)
  • EP3434403B1 patent drawingFigure 2(a)~2(b)
  • EP3434403B1 patent drawingFigure 3(a)~3(b)

AI summary

The present invention provides a mobile workstation (100) comprising a work-surface (60) for mounting a cutting tool, a cabinet (11) at least partially surrounding the work-surface and having a back wall (10) so as to define a cutting zone (15) having a depth (D) and an expandable portion having an expanded and a non-expanded configuration and comprising at least part of the back wall (20) and at least part of the work-surface (90), the expandable portion is movable so as to vary the depth of the cutting zone.