Magnetic Brake Assembly for Wheeled Walker
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional wheeled walkers are prone to sliding or rolling off slopes due to insufficient braking, especially when users have weak grip strength, posing a risk of falls.
Innovation Solution
A brake assembly featuring a wheel body with engaging portions, a first stopping device with a resilient member and magnetic unit, and a second stopping device, allowing for automatic braking without manual grip on a plane surface and controlled speed on slopes, while reducing assembly and production costs by eliminating cables.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If conventional brake assemblies with cables are used, then braking function is provided, but user grip strength is insufficient to stop the wheeled walker on slopes
Solution Approach 1:
The brake assembly automatically activates through the resilient member detecting wheel rotation and pushing the magnetic element against the wheel body, eliminating the need for manual grip operation. The system serves itself by using the wheel's own motion to trigger braking when needed.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent replaces the cable-based mechanical braking system with a magnetic field-based stopping mechanism. The magnetic element generates magnetic attraction force to slow down the wheel body, substituting the traditional cable-pulley-mechanical leverage system with a more responsive magnetic field interaction.
2Ease of operation
If manual brake operation is used, then braking control is possible, but users with weak grip strength cannot effectively brake
Solution Approach 1:
The brake assembly automatically activates through the resilient member detecting wheel rotation and pushing the magnetic element against the wheel body, eliminating the need for manual grip operation. The system serves itself by using the wheel's own motion to trigger braking when needed.
3Reliability
If conventional cable-based brake assemblies are used, then braking function is achieved, but assembly cost and complexity are high
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts and eliminates the cable system from the brake assembly, removing the complex cable routing, connectors, and adjustment mechanisms. Only the essential braking function is retained through the simplified resilient member and magnetic element configuration.
Solution Approach 2:
The brake assembly merges the resilient member, magnetic unit, and stopping device into a single integrated structure. The C-shaped resilient member inherently provides both the pushing force and the mounting structure, while the magnetic element is directly mounted on the resilient member, eliminating separate components and simplifying assembly.
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 brake assembly provides easy, labor-saving automatic braking on flat surfaces and controlled movement on slopes, enhancing user safety and reducing manufacturing and assembly costs through simplified designs.
Implementation Method 1
a magnetic element mounted in the sleeve and selectively abutting the wheel body
Implementation Method 2
a resilient member being C-shaped and having a lateral rod and an inclined rod connected integrally with an end of the lateral rod
Data Source
AI summary
A brake assembly has a wheel body, a first stopping device, and a second stopping device. The wheel body has a central axle and two engaging portions formed respectively on two ends of the central axle. The first stopping device is connected with the engaging portions of the wheel body and has a resilient member and a magnetic unit. The resilient member is C-shaped and has a lateral rod and an inclined rod connected integrally with an end of the lateral rod. The magnetic unit is mounted on the lateral rod of the resilient member and has a sleeve having a bottom opening and a magnetic element mounted in the sleeve and selectively abutting the wheel body. The second stopping device is connected securely with the lateral rod of the resilient member and is engaged selectively with the engaging portions of the wheel body.