Stackable Height Extender for Control Arm Skate
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Solution Overview
Problem
Control arm skates have a predetermined thickness that limits the operative height of vehicle components they support, making it difficult to adequately lift and transport vehicles with higher components like axles or frame members, and they are not versatile enough to support varied vehicle configurations or damaged parts.
Innovation Solution
A height extender designed to complement control arm skates, allowing for adjustable support heights by stacking multiple extenders, with configurations to accommodate different vehicle components such as control arms, axles, and frame members, ensuring secure engagement and varied operative heights.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If a control arm skate of predetermined thickness is used to support a vehicle component, then the skate provides stable support and sliding capability, but the operative height of the supported vehicle component above the reference surface is limited and cannot be adjusted
Solution Approach 1:
The skate system is divided into separate modular components: a base skate unit and multiple stackable height extender blocks. Each extender block can be independently added or removed to adjust the operative height, transforming a single fixed-height skate into a variable-height system without complicating the base skate structure
Solution Approach 2:
Height adjustment is achieved by adding components in the vertical dimension (stacking extenders on top of the skate) rather than modifying the horizontal or longitudinal dimensions of the skate itself. This allows height variation while preserving the skate's original sliding and support functions
2Adaptability or versatility
If a skate with fixed thickness is used, then the skate structure remains simple and predictable, but it cannot accommodate different vehicle configurations or support various vehicle components at required heights
Solution Approach 1:
The height extender blocks are designed as universal components that can be stacked with the base skate and with each other to create multiple height configurations. The extenders feature standardized engagement surfaces that work with various vehicle components (control arms, axles, frame members), making the system adaptable to different vehicle types and damage scenarios without requiring component-specific modifications
Solution Approach 2:
The system transitions from a static fixed-height skate to a dynamic adjustable-height system by allowing the operator to add or remove height extender blocks based on the specific vehicle configuration and support requirements, enabling the skate to adapt its operative height in response to different operational conditions
3Length of moving object
If the skate thickness is increased to support higher vehicle components, then the operative height is increased, but the skate becomes more cumbersome and may not fit under lower vehicle parts
Solution Approach 1:
The height extension function is segmented into separate removable blocks rather than being integrated into the base skate structure. This allows the operator to use only the minimum necessary height (base skate alone or with fewer extenders) for low-clearance applications, maintaining placement flexibility while providing the option to increase height when needed
Data Source
AI summary
A height extender for a control arm skate has an upper face configured to receive a control arm of a vehicle and a lower face configured to engage with an upper face of an underlying control arm skate. Extenders may be stacked.