Overhead Lift Brake Release Assembly for Ground-Level Strap Pay-Out
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Existing overhead lifts require users to ascend a ladder and remove housing to access the drivetrain to manually back drive the system and pay out additional lift strap length, which is unsettling and time-consuming, especially when the motor is inoperable.
Innovation Solution
A release assembly that includes a release lever and release strap, coupled to an electromagnetic brake, allowing users to disengage the brake from a lower position, enabling smooth manual pay-out of the lift strap by switching the brake from an engaged to a disengaged state, facilitating continuous pay-out until the user releases the strap.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If the electromagnetic brake is disengaged to allow manual pay-out of the lift strap, then the ease of operation is improved, but the risk of uncontrolled movement increases
Solution Approach 1:
The electromagnetic brake is disengaged in advance through the release assembly before manual pay-out is needed, allowing the drivetrain to be back-driven smoothly. The brake remains disengaged during the entire manual pay-out process, eliminating the need for incremental ratcheting and allowing continuous, controlled strap release.
Solution Approach 2:
The release assembly acts as an intermediary mechanism between the user and the electromagnetic brake. By pulling the release strap, the user activates the release assembly which then disengages the brake, providing a safe and controlled method to transition from locked to unlocked state without direct manual intervention on the drivetrain.
2Ease of operation
If the user ascends the ladder to access the drivetrain, then the ability to manually back drive the system is improved, but the time required and complexity of operation increases
Solution Approach 1:
The release assembly extracts the brake disengagement function from the main drivetrain mechanism and positions it at a convenient location accessible from the ground. The release strap and lever mechanism are positioned on the housing exterior or easily accessible area, eliminating the need to ascend ladders or disassemble components to access the brake mechanism.
Solution Approach 2:
The release assembly is designed to be self-contained and self-actuating. When the user pulls the release strap, the mechanism automatically translates this linear motion into lever movement that disengages the brake, requiring no additional manual manipulation of the drivetrain components themselves.
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 users to manually pay out the lift strap without ascending the lift, providing a smoother and more efficient operation by allowing the electromagnetic brake to be disengaged from a lower position, thus addressing the inefficiencies and discomfort of existing methods.
Implementation Method 1
The electromagnetic brake is coupled to the rotatable shaft. The electromagnetic brake has an engaged state wherein the electromagnetic brake prohibits rotation of the rotatable shaft and a disengaged state wherein the electromagnetic brake permits rotation of the rotatable shaft.
Data Source
AI summary
An overhead lift includes a lift strap, a motor, an electromagnetic brake, and a release assembly. The motor includes a rotatable shaft coupled to the lift strap. The electromagnetic brake is coupled to the rotatable shaft and has an engaged state and a disengaged state. The release assembly is engaged with the electromagnetic brake. The release assembly incudes a release lever engaged with the electromagnetic brake and a release strap. The release lever is moveable between a first position and a second position, wherein the release lever switches the electromagnetic brake to the disengaged state when in the second position. The release strap is coupled to the release lever. Tensioning of the release strap moves the release lever from the first position to the second position thereby switching the electromagnetic brake to the disengaged state.