Adjustable Lift Guide Bracket Assembly for Low-Friction Load Support
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Bracket assemblies for lift guides face challenges in supporting high loads with low friction, particularly due to varying guide wing thicknesses caused by manufacturing tolerances and different guide sizes, which can lead to misalignments and increased friction.
Innovation Solution
A bracket assembly featuring a single piece of sheet metal folded in a 'Z' or 'L' shape with inclined pins and a polygonal orifice, allowing for adjustable fastening that minimizes friction by separating the fastening core from the guide wing edge upon tightening, accommodating different wing thicknesses and reducing frontal friction.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Strength
If bracket assemblies use multiple pieces of shaped metal sheet with screws or nuts for fastening, then they can support maximum strain, but they generate high friction forces
Solution Approach 1:
The patent combines multiple separate fastening components (metal sheets, screws, nuts) into a single integrated bracket assembly made from one piece of sheet metal. This merging eliminates the need for separate fastening elements while maintaining the ability to support maximum strain, and reduces friction by creating a more streamlined fastening interface with the guide wing.
Solution Approach 2:
The single piece of sheet metal is folded into distinct functional segments (fastening assembly, support assembly, adjuster assembly) that work together. The fastening assembly segment interfaces with the guide wing, the support assembly segment interfaces with the support, and the adjuster assembly segment allows for thickness adjustment, thereby managing friction at each interface separately.
2Strength
If bracket assemblies are designed for high load capacity, then they can support maximum strain, but they cannot adapt to variations in guide wing thickness
Solution Approach 1:
The bracket assembly incorporates an adjuster assembly that allows dynamic adjustment of the fastening assembly's position relative to the support assembly. This enables the bracket to adapt to different guide wing thicknesses while maintaining its high load-bearing capacity, as the adjustment mechanism allows the fastening interface to be repositioned without compromising structural integrity.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent changes the adjustable parameter of the bracket assembly to accommodate variations in guide wing thickness. By providing an adjuster mechanism that modifies the distance between the fastening assembly and support assembly, the bracket can maintain optimal contact and load distribution across different thickness variations while preserving its strain support capability.
3Strength
If the fastening assembly is tightly secured to the guide wing, then high resistance is achieved, but friction force increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces inclined pins that create a tapered or angled interface between the fastening assembly and the guide wing. This geometric configuration allows the fastening assembly to be securely attached while reducing the contact area and pressure distribution, thereby achieving high resistance to load forces while minimizing the friction force generated at the interface.
Data Source
Figure 1
Figure 2a
Figure 2b
AI summary
A flange, adjustable to the thickness of the wing of a lift guide, which consists of a fastening assembly (1) and an adjuster assembly (2) arranged fastening between them and the support itself (S), the wing (G1) of the guide (G). The adjuster assembly (2) can move linearly, guided on the fastening assembly (1) to adapt to wings (G1) of different thicknesses. A screw (3) is mounted without turning on the fastening assembly (1) or on the support (S) to fasten them to each other using nut/washer (T1). A fastening element (4) joined to the screw (3) first allows the movement of the adjuster assembly (2) on the fastening assembly (1); and then fastens adjuster assembly (2) and fastening assembly (1) to the mentioned first screw (3), using nut/washer (T2) if screw (3) and fastening element (4) are a single piece, or using only washer (T2') if they are independent pieces.