Fall Control Trolley Speed Regulation via Eddy Current Braking
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing fall control systems either completely stop a person's movement during a fall, which can lead to injury, or fail to effectively reduce ground impact speed, posing risks for the elderly and others prone to unintentional falls.
Innovation Solution
A fall control system comprising an elongate guide rail and a trolley with a tether system, featuring a speed control mechanism that allows users to ascend and descend stairs or level surfaces independently, with the trolley's speed controlled to reduce ground impact speed during falls without complete cessation of movement.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If the trolley moves freely during a fall event, then the user can maintain movement, but the ground impact speed is too high causing injury
Solution Approach 1:
The speed control system continuously monitors trolley velocity and provides feedback control to maintain speed within safe parameters. The system detects the fall event and automatically adjusts braking force to maintain a controlled descent speed, allowing user movement while preventing excessive impact speed. This feedback mechanism resolves the contradiction by enabling movement control while eliminating the harmful high impact speed.
2Reliability
If a traditional braking system is used, then the trolley stops completely during falls, but the system cannot allow controlled movement during falls
Solution Approach 1:
The system transitions from a static complete-stop braking mechanism to a dynamic speed control system that continuously adjusts braking force. During fall events, the system dynamically maintains a controlled velocity rather than stopping, adapting the braking action to the specific fall conditions. This dynamic approach provides reliable fall protection while enabling controlled movement, resolving the contradiction between reliability and adaptability.
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 system enables users to maintain controlled movement during falls, reducing ground impact speed and allowing for crawling after a fall, thus minimizing injuries and providing assistance for those too weak to stand up.
Implementation Method 1
The background speed controller selected from the group of one or more than one background eddy current brake
Implementation Method 2
The background speed controller selected from the group of one or more than one background pre-tensioned gear
Data Source
AI summary
A fall control system is described. The fall control system comprises an elongate guide rail extending along an axis, a trolley for moving along the elongate guide rail, a tether attached to the trolley at a first end, a second end of the tether for attaching to a user, and a speed control system for controlling a speed of the trolley along the elongate guide rail. The speed control system comprises one or more than one speed control track attached to the elongate guide rail and extending along the axis, a background speed controller coupled to the trolley and engaged with the one or more speed control track when the speed control system or the trolley is in a travelling orientation and controlling the speed of the trolley along the elongate guide rail to not exceeded a maximum walking speed. The speed control system also includes a speed controller coupled to the trolley and engagable with the one or more than one speed control track, the speed controller displaceable from a first position when the speed control system or the trolley is in the travelling orientation, and the speed controller is not engaged with the speed control track, to a second position when the speed control system or the trolley is in a falling orientation and the speed controller is engaged with the speed control track. The speed controller for controlling the speed of the trolley along the guide rail in the falling orientation to not exceed a maximum fall speed.