Horizontal-Braking Caster for Wheel Self-Locking Reliability
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing casters with brake pads experience insufficient friction for reliable self-locking, leading to unreliable braking.
Innovation Solution
A caster with a brake assembly featuring a movable plate and a rotary plate, where the rotary plate's rotation causes the brake pad to move backward against the wheel for self-locking, utilizing the wheel's elasticity to enhance braking reliability.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If a brake pad is tightly pressed against the wheel to achieve braking through friction, then braking force is generated, but the friction is insufficient to provide a satisfactory self-locking effect
Solution Approach 1:
Instead of pressing the brake pad forward against the wheel, the patent inverts the direction by pressing the brake pad backward against the wheel through the rotary plate mechanism. This inversion allows the elastic wheel to push back against the brake pad, creating the self-locking effect that provides reliable braking.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent utilizes the elastic property of the wheel itself to provide the locking force. When the brake pad presses against the wheel, the elastic wheel automatically pushes back against the brake pad, creating a self-locking mechanism without requiring additional external force or complex locking components.
2Reliability
If the brake pad is pressed against the wheel for braking, then braking effect is achieved, but the existing brake mechanism cannot achieve self-locking
Solution Approach 1:
The elastic wheel serves itself by automatically pushing back against the brake pad when pressed, creating a self-locking effect. This eliminates the need for additional locking mechanisms or complex control systems, achieving reliable self-locking with minimal added complexity.
Solution Approach 2:
The rotary plate acts as an intermediary mechanism that translates rotational motion into linear motion to press the brake pad against the wheel. This simple intermediary component enables the self-locking function without requiring complex mechanical systems.
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 caster achieves a satisfactory braking effect with self-locking capability, improving the reliability of the braking mechanism.
Implementation Method 1
The brake pad is tightly pressed against the wheel to achieve braking through friction between the brake pad and the wheel
Implementation Method 2
Because the wheel is pressed by the brake pad, and the wheel is elastic, the wheel also applies a forward force to the brake pad, such that the movable plate enters a self-locking state
Data Source
AI summary
A caster with horizontal braking includes a connecting base, a wheel rotatably connected to the connecting base, and a brake assembly including a movable plate slidably connected to the connecting base and a rotary plate. The movable plate is provided with a brake pad at an end and a first abutting plate with a limiting portion thereon, and is rotatably connected to the connecting base. A second abutting plate fitted with the first abutting plate is arranged on the rotary plate. When the rotary plate is rotated to cause the second abutting plate to push the first abutting plate to move backward, the brake pad moves backward to abut against the wheel, one end of the second abutting plate is abutted against the limiting portion, the force applied by the wheel to the brake pad opposites the force applied by the second abutting plate to the limiting portion.