Pivotable Tool Box Brake Mechanism for Secure Angular Positioning
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional tool boxes lack a reliable mechanism to securely hold or adjust the orientation of a rotatable body relative to a base, making it inconvenient to position tools for easy access.
Innovation Solution
A tool box design featuring a shaft connected to both the base and the body, with a brake unit comprising pivotably connected boards and a brake disk, allowing the body to be locked or rotated using clutch pedals, enabling precise angular positioning of the body relative to the base.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If the body is made rotatable relative to the base, then ease of operation is improved, but reliability deteriorates due to lack of secure positioning
Solution Approach 1:
The brake unit incorporates a movable second board that can transition between locked and unlocked positions. When the clutch pedal is depressed, the second board moves to engage the brake disk, creating friction that holds the body at a desired angular position. This dynamic mechanism allows the system to switch between free rotation and secure positioning, resolving the contradiction between ease of operation and reliable positioning.
2Reliability
If a brake unit is added to lock the body position, then reliability is improved, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The brake unit is divided into distinct functional components: a first board fixed to the base, a movable second board with brake shoes, a brake disk attached to the shaft, and connection plates with pivots. This segmentation allows each component to perform its specific function independently while maintaining overall simplicity. The modular design reduces complexity by making the system easier to manufacture, assemble, and maintain.
Solution Approach 2:
The brake unit utilizes the user's foot pressure on the clutch pedal to activate the braking mechanism. When the pedal is depressed, it directly moves the second board to engage the brake disk through the connection plates. This self-service mechanism eliminates the need for additional actuators, motors, or complex control systems, thereby reducing device complexity while maintaining reliable positioning capability.
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
Enables the user to securely hold or adjust the orientation of the tool box body, allowing for convenient access to tools by locking or unlocking the rotation mechanism, facilitating easy tool retrieval and storage.
Implementation Method 1
A brake disk is rotatably located on the first board and the shaft is securely connected to the brake disk which is co-rotated with the body. The second board is controlled to move and contact the brake disk on the first board by a clutch pedal.
Data Source
AI summary
A tool box includes a body with drawers and the body is rotatably connected to a base. A brake unit is received in the base and includes a first board fixed to the base and a second board movably located on the first board by connection plates pivotably connected between the first and second boards. A brake disk is rotatably located on the first board and the shaft is securely connected to the brake disk so that the brake disk is co-rotated with the body. The second board is controlled to move and contact the brake disk on the first board by a clutch pedal. When the second board contacts the brake disk, the body together with the base is moved as one piece, and when the second board is disengaged from the brake disk, the body can be rotated independently relative to the base.