Load Transporter with Dynamic Support for Wheel Ground Contact
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Existing load transporting apparatuses face difficulties in maintaining rear castor wheels in contact with the ground surface when engaged with heavy loads, leading to maneuvering challenges and safety concerns due to potential wheel trapping.
Innovation Solution
The apparatus features a support member connected to the main body with a connection mechanism that allows movement towards and away from the support member, maintaining swivel axes vertical and enabling all wheels to maintain ground contact, along with a biasing mechanism to ensure arcuate movement and prevent wheel displacement, and an additional connection mechanism allowing fore-aft rotation of the support member to maintain ground engagement.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Force
If a lifting device is used to engage and bear heavy loads, then the load capacity is improved, but the rear castor wheels are lifted from engagement with the floor surface causing maneuvering difficulties
Solution Approach 1:
The support member is made dynamically movable relative to the main body through connection means that permit movement towards and away from each other. This dynamic adjustment allows the apparatus to maintain all wheels on the ground surface even when engaged with heavy loads, resolving the contradiction between load capacity and maneuverability
2Force
If a lifting device is used to engage heavy loads, then the load bearing capability is improved, but safety concerns arise due to potential wheel trapping
Solution Approach 1:
The dynamic connection means allow the support member to move relative to the main body, ensuring that all wheels remain in contact with the ground surface during operation. This eliminates the safety hazard of wheel trapping while maintaining load bearing capability
3Force
If the rear castor wheels are lifted from the floor surface, then the weight distribution is improved for load bearing, but the apparatus complexity increases due to additional control mechanisms
Solution Approach 1:
The connection means provide automatic dynamic adjustment of the support member position based on load conditions, eliminating the need for complex control mechanisms while maintaining optimal weight distribution and load bearing capability
Solution Approach 2:
The support member automatically adjusts its position relative to the main body through the connection means in response to load changes, without requiring external control intervention. This self-adjusting mechanism simplifies the overall control system while maintaining proper weight distribution
Data Source
AI summary
A load transporting apparatus is described including:a main body;a ground engaging wheel positioned at or towards one end of the main body and supported for rotation about a generally horizontal axis;a support member, which is connected to the main body, and which supports a pair of wheel assemblies, each assembly including a wheel which is supported for rotation about a generally horizontal wheel axis, wherein said wheel assembly permits the wheel to swivel about a swivel axis which is substantially perpendicular to the wheel axis and off-set therefrom;wherein the support member is connected to the main body by connection means which permits movement of the main body towards and away from the support member.Also described is an apparatus where the or a further connection means is configured to permit rotation of the support member relative to the main body about an axis which extends generally in a fore-aft direction of the apparatus.