Movable Cart Cargo-Bay for Switchgear Stability

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Solution Overview

Problem

The increasing voltage levels in air-insulated switchgear require larger insulation distances, leading to deeper compartments which restrict the available space for switchgear devices, resulting in a cart with a limited wheelbase that is susceptible to tipping over when carrying heavy switchgear devices.

Innovation Solution

A cart with a movably connected cargo-bay to its base, utilizing a slider mechanism and guiderails to maintain a maximum wheelbase and facilitate horizontal movement, ensuring stability and safe transport of switchgear devices between operating and maintenance positions.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Reliability

If the insulation distances are increased to accommodate higher voltages, then the safety and reliability of the switchgear are improved, but the available space for the switch device compartment is reduced, leading to a shorter wheelbase and reduced cart stability

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveinsulation safetyVSAvoidcart stability
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSStability of the object's composition

Solution Approach 1:

The cargo-bay is made movable relative to the base through a slider mechanism, allowing the cart to adapt its configuration dynamically. This enables the cart to maintain stability by adjusting the position of the cargo-bay while preserving the extended wheelbase configuration needed for stability during transport

Inventive Principle:
Principle #15Dynamics

Solution Approach 2:

The cart is divided into two main segments: a fixed base with the wheelbase and a movable cargo-bay. This segmentation allows the base to provide stable support with its extended wheelbase while the cargo-bay can be independently positioned to accommodate the switchgear device, resolving the conflict between insulation distance requirements and cart stability

Inventive Principle:
Principle #1Segmentation

2Stability of the object's composition

If the cart wheelbase is extended to improve stability, then the cart can safely carry heavy switchgear devices, but the cart requires more space within the switch device compartment which is already constrained by increased insulation distances

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvecart stabilityVSAvoidspace utilization
Core Design Contradiction:
Stability of the object's compositionVSVolume of moving object

Solution Approach 1:

The movable cargo-bay allows the cart to optimize its space utilization dynamically. When not in use, the cargo-bay can be repositioned to minimize the space occupied within the switch device compartment, while still maintaining the extended wheelbase configuration for stability during transport operations

Inventive Principle:
Principle #15Dynamics

3Reliability

If the switch device compartment depth is increased to accommodate larger insulation distances, then higher voltage safety is achieved, but the available depth for housing the cart is reduced

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveinsulation distanceVSAvoidcompartment depth
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSLength of stationary object

Solution Approach 1:

The invention addresses the depth constraint by utilizing horizontal space through the extended wheelbase configuration rather than increasing vertical or depth dimensions. The movable cargo-bay allows the cart to maintain a compact depth profile while achieving the necessary wheelbase length for stability through horizontal extension

Inventive Principle:
Principle #17Another dimension (Dimensionality change)

Data Source

PatentEP3840146A1Cart for an air-insulated switchgear and air-insulated switchgear comprising such cart
Publication Date: 2021.06.23 SIEMENS AG
  • EP3840146A1 patent drawingFigure 1
  • EP3840146A1 patent drawingFigure 2~3
  • EP3840146A1 patent drawingFigure 4~5

AI summary

The cart (10) comprises a base (12) carried by a plurality of wheels (14) and a cargo-bay (13) for holding a switchgear device (9). According to the present invention, the cargo-bay (13) is movably connected to the base (12) of the cart (10). The air-insulated switch cabinet (1) of the invention comprises a switchgear device (9) releasably connected or connectable to a plurality of electrical contacts of the air-insulated switch cabinet (1) and a cart (10) as described above for carrying the switchgear device (9).