Nested Linkage Assembly for Compact Rotary-to-Linear Motion
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Solution Overview
Problem
There is a need for an improved assembly that can convert rotational motion into straight line motion while allowing a supporting member to be deployed from a retracted to an extended position, offering compactness and efficient support during movement.
Innovation Solution
The assembly consists of a system of interconnected arms with pivoted connections, where rotation of the first and second arms about fixed pivots results in the movement and deployment of a third arm, which can serve as a support, allowing the assembly to transition from a compact retracted position to an extended position where the third arm provides support.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Volume of moving object
If a traditional straight line mechanism is used to convert rotational motion into linear motion, then the motion conversion function is achieved, but the device occupies significant space and lacks compactness
Solution Approach 1:
The mechanism employs nested arms where the second arm is positioned within the arc of the first arm, and the third arm is deployed from a retracted position within the mechanism structure. This nesting arrangement allows the mechanism to achieve full motion conversion functionality while occupying minimal space when in the retracted position.
Solution Approach 2:
The mechanism transitions dynamically between a compact retracted position and an extended operational position. The third arm can be deployed from a retracted position within the mechanism to an extended position providing support, allowing the device to adapt its configuration based on operational requirements while maintaining compactness when not in use.
2Volume of moving object
If the assembly is designed to be compact in the retracted position, then space efficiency is improved, but the deployment of the supporting member becomes more complex
Solution Approach 1:
The mechanism combines multiple functions into a single integrated system. The same interconnected arms that perform the motion conversion function also enable the deployment of the third arm. The pivoted connections and geometric relationships serve both the compactness requirement and the deployment functionality, eliminating the need for separate complex deployment mechanisms.
Solution Approach 2:
The mechanism uses its own structural components and motion conversion dynamics to enable the deployment of the third arm. The interconnected arms and pivoted connections automatically facilitate the deployment when the first and second arms rotate, without requiring external actuators or complex control systems. The geometry of the mechanism itself provides the deployment capability.
3Reliability
If the third arm is deployed from a retracted position, then support functionality is enhanced, but the mechanism requires additional space for deployment
Solution Approach 1:
The third arm is nested within the mechanism structure when in the retracted position, utilizing the space already occupied by the interconnected arms. When deployed, the third arm extends from this nested position to provide support functionality, but the overall mechanism still maintains a compact footprint compared to traditional mechanisms that require dedicated space for support structures.
Data Source
AI summary
An assembly for converting motion comprises a first arm rotatable at a first position about a first fixed pivot; a second arm rotatable at a first position about a second fixed pivot; a third arm linked at a first position to the second arm at a second position on the second arm, the third arm being linked at a second position to the first arm at a second position on the first arm; wherein one of the first and second positions on the third arm is movable and the other of the first and second positions is fixed relative to the third arm; and a connecting arm extending between the first arm and the second arm, the connecting arm pivotably connected at a first position to a third position on the first arm and pivotably connected at a second position to the second position on the second arm.