Lever and Movable Bracket Cam Lock on a Single Support Shaft
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Solution Overview
Problem
The existing lever device is large and heavy due to the difference in the centers of rotation of the lever and the movable bracket, requiring two support shafts and a mechanism to restrict the movable bracket's position, which increases the operating force required.
Innovation Solution
A lever device with a base, a support shaft, a movable bracket, and a lever that are pivotally supported, featuring at least one first engagement portion on the movable bracket and at least one second engagement portion on the lever, a cam member that engages with these portions, and a biasing member to facilitate engagement and disengagement, allowing the movable bracket to pivot between lowered and raised positions with reduced size and weight.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If two support shafts are used to accommodate different centers of rotation, then the lever device can achieve the required motion, but the size and weight of the device increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent combines the support functions for the lever and movable bracket onto a single support shaft, eliminating the need for separate support structures. The cam mechanism is integrated with this single shaft to control the movable bracket's positioning, thereby reducing overall device weight while maintaining full motion capability.
Solution Approach 2:
The single support shaft serves multiple functions: supporting the lever's rotation, supporting the movable bracket's rotation, and providing mounting for the cam mechanism. This multi-functional design eliminates redundant components and reduces device weight.
2Reliability
If a mechanism is added to restrict the movable bracket's position, then the lever device achieves precise positioning, but the device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The cam member acts as an intermediary between the support shaft and the movable bracket. It provides precise positioning control through its cam surface geometry while maintaining a simple overall structure. The cam mechanism translates rotational motion into the desired positioning restrictions without requiring complex linkages or multiple actuators.
3Ease of operation
If multiple components are used to control lever and bracket motion, then the motion control is achieved, but the operating force required increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces complex multi-component mechanical linkage systems with a cam mechanism that provides motion control through geometric constraints. This substitution reduces the number of interacting parts and minimizes friction losses, thereby reducing the operating force required to move the lever and bracket through their ranges of motion.
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 solution reduces the size and weight of the lever device, minimizing the operating force required and allowing for more compact and efficient operation by utilizing a single support shaft and a cam mechanism to control the movable bracket's position.
Implementation Method 1
a biasing member to bias the cam member in a direction that allows the cam member to engage with the at least one first engagement portion and the at least one second engagement portion
Implementation Method 2
the cam member being attached to the support shaft such that the cam member is movable in a direction of an axis of the support shaft but not rotatable about the axis of the support shaft
Data Source
AI summary
A lever device includes a movable bracket and a lever supported on a support shaft on a base such that they are pivotable between lowered and raised positions, first engagement portion(s) on the movable bracket, second engagement portion(s) on the lever, a cam member attached to the support shaft such that it is movable in an axial direction of the support shaft but not rotatable about the support shaft, and a biasing member to bias the cam member to engage with the first and second engagement portions. When the movable bracket etc. are in the lowered position and when they are in the raised position, the first engagement portion(s) engage(s) with the cam member to restrict the movable bracket from pivoting. When the lever pivots upward from the lowered position or downward from the raised position, the second engagement portion(s) disengage(s) the cam member from the first engagement portion(s).