Foot Assembly with Adjustable Friction for Heavy Cooler Mobility
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Solution Overview
Problem
Large coolers with extensive insulative materials face challenges in mobility due to increased weight, making them difficult to move, as they require significant effort to translate or lift, especially when filled with heavy contents like 50 kg of water.
Innovation Solution
The integration of a foot assembly with a block retainer and non-skid block configuration that allows the cooler to adjust its orientation, utilizing different coefficients of friction to enhance stability and reduce the force required for movement, by positioning the angled portion in contact with the surface to lower frictional resistance when dragging.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Volume of moving object
If large amounts of insulative materials are used to increase cooler volume, then storage capacity is improved, but weight increases making the cooler difficult to move
Solution Approach 1:
The foot assembly incorporates a movable non-skid block that can be positioned in different locations on the foot. This dynamic positioning allows the block to be placed at the rear during lifting operations to increase friction and prevent slipping, or repositioned during dragging operations to reduce frictional resistance and ease movement. The dynamic adaptability of the friction interface resolves the contradiction by optimizing the interaction between the heavy cooler and the surface during different movement modes.
2Stability of the object's composition
If the non-skid block has high friction coefficient, then stability during lifting is improved, but force required for dragging increases
Solution Approach 1:
The system dynamically adjusts the friction characteristics by repositioning the non-skid block on the foot assembly. During lifting operations, the block is positioned to maximize contact with the surface, providing high friction for stability. During dragging operations, the block can be repositioned or the foot can be rotated so that the angled surface contacts the ground, reducing frictional resistance. This dynamic reconfiguration resolves the contradiction between stability and ease of movement.
Solution Approach 2:
The foot assembly incorporates an angled surface that provides an additional dimensional configuration for contacting the support surface. By rotating the foot or repositioning it, the angled surface can engage with the ground during dragging operations, creating a different geometric relationship that reduces frictional resistance. This dimensional change allows the system to transition between high-friction lifting mode and low-friction dragging mode.
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
This configuration enables easier handling and movement of the cooler by adjusting the frictional resistance based on orientation, reducing the effort needed to translate or lift the cooler, thus improving portability without compromising stability.
Implementation Method 1
The non-skid block may include an exterior portion that extends from the front surface in a direction away from the structure and includes a second DCOF that may be greater than the first DCOF
Implementation Method 2
The front surface, which may be opposite the interior surface, may include a first dynamic coefficient of friction (DCOF)
Data Source
AI summary
A foot assembly includes a block retainer and a non-skid block. The block retainer is configured to be positioned at least proximate to an edge between a bottom surface and a side surface of a structure. The block retainer includes a planar portion, an angled portion, and a front surface. The planar portion has an interior surface configured to contact the bottom surface. The angled portion is diposed at an angle from the planar portion and includes an interior surface configured to contact an angled contact surface of the structure. The front surface includes a first dynamic coefficient of friction (DCOF). The non-skid block is connected to the planar portion and includes an exterior portion extending from the front surface away from the structure and includes a second DCOF greater than the first DCOF.