Furniture Wheel Manual Brake with Nested Horizontal Actuation
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing hubless wheels with hollow or tubular designs face challenges in incorporating traditional brake systems due to lack of internal space, often requiring external tools like screwdrivers for braking, which complicates manual actuation and affects aesthetic and functional integrity.
Innovation Solution
A hollow tubular wheel with internal toothing and an outer lever for manual horizontal brake actuation, featuring a flexible spring and displacement rail within the central housing, allowing for external braking without external tools, and an additional front lever for locking, maintaining rotational and tilting capabilities.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Shape
If a hollow or tubular wheel design is used to achieve aesthetic appeal and lighten visual load, then the visual aesthetics are improved, but the internal space for locating traditional brake systems is reduced
Solution Approach 1:
The brake mechanism is nested within the hollow tubular structure of the wheel. The braking piece is received inside the tubular element, and the lateral bearings are positioned within the hollow space, effectively nesting the braking system components within the wheel's hollow structure without compromising its aesthetic appearance
Solution Approach 2:
The braking piece moves horizontally along a displacement rail rather than vertically or radially, utilizing the horizontal dimension within the hollow structure. This horizontal displacement allows the braking mechanism to operate within the constrained internal space of the tubular wheel while maintaining the external aesthetic design
2Reliability
If traditional brake systems are used in hollow wheels, then braking function is achieved, but external tools like screwdrivers are required for actuation which complicates operation
Solution Approach 1:
The braking system is designed to be self-actuating through user interaction. The external lever, when manually displaced by the user, directly actuates the internal locking device through the displacement rail mechanism, eliminating the need for external tools like screwdrivers. The system serves itself through intuitive manual operation
Solution Approach 2:
Instead of requiring internal adjustment mechanisms or tool-based actuation, the invention inverts the approach by providing external manual actuation that directly controls the internal braking mechanism. The external lever becomes the primary control interface, reversing the traditional approach where internal mechanisms required external tool intervention
3Reliability
If the brake mechanism is located in the lower part of the wheel, then braking is achieved, but the wheel structure becomes more complex and requires additional components
Solution Approach 1:
The braking mechanism is merged with the central housing and tubular structure. The displacement rail is integrated into the housing, the braking piece is received within the tubular element, and the lateral bearings are positioned within the same housing structure. This merging of components reduces the number of separate parts and simplifies the overall wheel structure while maintaining braking functionality
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
Enables effective manual braking of furniture wheels without losing rotational or tilting characteristics, ensuring easy operation by users without needing foreign elements, while maintaining the wheel's aesthetic appeal and functionality.
Implementation Method 1
a flexor tensioned spring (11) is introduced for the purpose of raising and lowering the housing by pressure
Implementation Method 2
a displacement rail (7) is positioned by which the internal braking piece (16) is circulated
Data Source
Figure 1~3
AI summary
A wheel provided with a manual brake for pieces of furniture is characterised in that it comprises two lateral bearings with inner toothing, joined together by a tube placed inside the bearings, producing a hollow O-shaped profile, to which an intermediate frame is coupled, the frame having a device for fastening the wheel to the chair or piece of furniture to which it is coupled, a flat base with a rail in which the brake slides horizontally, and an outer lever for manual actuation, which can be arranged on the base or on the front of the frame, and which locks the inner bearing mechanism.