Height-Adjustable Platform Drive Shaft with Manual Override
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Solution Overview
Problem
Height-adjustable platforms, such as patient tables, require precise and stable height adjustment with minimal vibration and noise, and existing solutions often fail to provide reliable operation, especially during power outages or when manual operation is necessary.
Innovation Solution
An adjusting device with a drive motor and a manual drive mechanism that allows for simultaneous or independent height adjustment of a platform, featuring a drive shaft and a manual drive that can engage with the drive shaft for torque transmission, ensuring low-noise and low-vibration operation, with a retaining device to separate friction-fit and a spring element for preload, enabling operation without electrical power.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If a motor-driven adjusting device is used to change the height of the platform, then the height adjustment can be performed automatically and precisely, but the device becomes unable to operate during power outages or when the motor fails
Solution Approach 1:
The adjusting device is designed with dual functionality: it can operate in motor-driven mode for automatic height adjustment during normal operation, and switch to manual drive mode when power is unavailable or the motor fails. This multi-functionality ensures the device remains reliable under varying operational conditions.
Solution Approach 2:
The device allows dynamic switching between two operational states: motor-driven operation under normal conditions and manual operation during power outages. The system adapts its mode of operation based on the availability of electrical power, ensuring continuous functionality.
2Adaptability or versatility
If a manual drive is added to allow operation during power outages, then the device becomes more versatile, but additional vibrations and noise are generated during motor operation
Solution Approach 1:
The manual drive is designed to be disengageable from the drive shaft during motor operation. By extracting or separating the manual drive from the power transmission path when the motor is running, the harmful vibrations and noise generated by the manual drive components are eliminated, while retaining the ability to engage the manual drive when needed.
Solution Approach 2:
The connection between the manual drive and the drive shaft is made dynamic rather than fixed. The manual drive can be engaged or disengaged as needed, allowing the system to optimize performance by separating the manual drive components during motor operation to reduce vibrations and noise.
3Adaptability or versatility
If the manual drive is permanently coupled to the drive shaft, then the device can always be operated manually, but the manual drive components move and generate noise during motor-driven operation
Solution Approach 1:
The manual drive is designed with a separable coupling to the drive shaft. During motor-driven operation, the manual drive can be extracted or disengaged from the drive shaft, preventing its components from moving and generating noise. When manual operation is needed, the coupling is re-engaged.
Solution Approach 2:
The coupling between the manual drive and drive shaft is segmented into separable parts rather than being a permanent fixed connection. This segmentation allows the manual drive to be disconnected from the power transmission path during motor operation, eliminating noise from manual drive components.
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 solution provides a robust, stable, and low-noise height adjustment system that ensures safe and comfortable operation for patients, allowing for precise height changes with minimal vibration and noise, and maintains functionality during power outages by enabling manual operation.
Implementation Method 1
a spring element, which is configured to preload the manual drive such that a friction-fit arises between the manual drive and the adjusting device
Implementation Method 2
the friction-fit and/or interference-fit is separable
Data Source
AI summary
The height of a platform relative to a support surface is adjustable by rotating a drive shaft to actuate a first height-adjusting device and a second height-adjusting device, thereby changing the height of the respective ends of the first and second height-adjusting devices relative to the support surface. The drive shaft is selectively drivable by either a drive motor or a manually-operable drive.