Lever Assembly With Retained Return Spring for Easier Reassembly
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing lever assemblies for handlebar vehicles face challenges during assembly and maintenance, as the elastic return element can be easily misplaced or lost due to gravity, complicating the positioning and reassembly processes.
Innovation Solution
The lever assembly is designed with a preassembled primary lever and elastic return element, where the elastic return element is integrated into the primary lever recessed housing, preventing gravity-induced detachment and simplifying assembly and maintenance by ensuring the elastic return element remains securely attached.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of manufacture
If the elastic return element is positioned separately during assembly, then the lever assembly can be assembled with independent components, but the elastic return element may be dropped by gravity and lost during positioning attempts
Solution Approach 1:
The patent combines the elastic return element with the primary lever into a single integrated assembly. The elastic return element is positioned within a recessed housing of the primary lever, creating a preassembled unit that eliminates the risk of the elastic return element being dropped or lost during assembly operations.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent performs the positioning of the elastic return element in advance during the manufacturing stage, creating a preassembled primary lever with integrated elastic return element. This preliminary action ensures the elastic return element is securely positioned before the lever assembly reaches the user, eliminating assembly risks.
2Ease of repair
If the elastic return element is separated during maintenance disassembly, then the primary lever can be disassembled from the body, but the elastic return element may fall by gravity resulting in accidental loss
Solution Approach 1:
The patent integrates the elastic return element with the primary lever structure, where the elastic return element is received within a recessed housing of the primary lever. This merging ensures that when the primary lever is removed from the body during maintenance, the elastic return element remains attached and cannot be lost.
Solution Approach 2:
The elastic return element is nested within the recessed housing of the primary lever, creating a contained structure. This nesting arrangement ensures the elastic return element is protected and retained within the primary lever assembly during maintenance operations.
3Ease of manufacture
If multiple positioning attempts are made to correctly position the elastic return element, then the assembly can be completed, but time is lost and the risk of dropping the element increases
Solution Approach 1:
The elastic return element is pre-positioned within the primary lever recessed housing during manufacturing. This preliminary action eliminates the need for multiple positioning attempts during assembly, reducing assembly time and eliminating the risk of dropping the element during repeated positioning operations.
Solution Approach 2:
The integrated design of the primary lever with recessed housing automatically maintains the elastic return element in its correct position without requiring additional positioning operations. The structure itself provides the positioning function, eliminating time loss and positioning errors.
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 design enhances the reliability of assembly and maintenance operations by preventing the loss of the elastic return element, ensuring consistent functionality and reducing the risk of misplacement, thus streamlining the process and maintaining the lever's resting position effectively.
Implementation Method 1
the elastic return element of primary lever is a torsional spring acting between a portion of the support body constrainable to the handlebar and the primary lever by constantly and elastically opposing a rotation of the primary lever towards the handlebar
Implementation Method 2
the elastic return element of primary lever is a torsional spring comprising a winding portion, a first connecting arm, and a second connecting arm, extending from the winding portion to apply the elastic return action
Data Source
AI summary
A lever assembly for a lever device having a master cylinder body having cylinder walls delimiting a cavity or cylinder, and a float or piston having a piston bottom defining a pressure chamber. A supply channel puts the pressure chamber in communication with a fluid tank. The piston bottom is movable between an end-of-stroke position, in which a volume of the pressure chamber is maximum, and a first working position, in which the piston bottom fluidly isolates the pressure chamber from the supply channel. The lever has a primary lever connectable to the float or piston and an elastic return element having a first elastic return element winding, a first arm, and a second arm. A primary lever body defines a primary lever recessed housing or seat to accommodate the elastic return element and has a first primary lever connecting element having a coupling portion to couple the second arm.