Pneumatic Lifting Table Frame with Load-Adaptive Gas Spring Control

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Solution Overview

Problem

Conventional lifting tables, including manually operated, electrically actuated, and pneumatic types, face issues such as manual strain, energy wastage, noise, fault-proneness, high costs, unsteady lifting/lowering speeds, and potential for injury or damage due to uneven load handling.

Innovation Solution

A pneumatic lifting table frame equipped with a pressure sensor, controller, and adjustable gas spring assembly that adjusts piston rod movement based on load pressure to maintain consistent lifting/lowering speeds, ensuring safety and stability, and incorporates a sealing mechanism to conserve gas and reduce operational costs.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Object-generated harmful factors

If a gas spring is used to actuate the lifting table, then the cost and noise are reduced, but the lifting/lowering speed becomes unsteady and safety is compromised

Engineering Contradiction:
ImprovenoiseVSAvoidlifting speed stability
Core Design Contradiction:
Object-generated harmful factorsVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

The gas spring system is made dynamic by allowing adjustable gas quantity in the gas reservoir. The controller regulates the motor to adjust the piston rod position, thereby controlling the gas volume in the reservoir and achieving variable thrust force to maintain stable lifting speed under different loads.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #15Dynamics

Solution Approach 2:

The system implements feedback control by using the pressure sensor to detect load weight, transmitting signals to the controller, which then adjusts the motor-driven piston rod position to regulate gas quantity in the reservoir, creating a closed-loop control system that maintains stable lifting speed.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #23Feedback

2Ease of manufacture

If a gas spring is used to actuate the lifting table, then the cost is reduced, but the lifting speed becomes too fast with light load causing injuries or damages

Engineering Contradiction:
ImprovecostVSAvoidinjury risk
Core Design Contradiction:
Ease of manufactureVSObject-affected harmful factors

Solution Approach 1:

The pressure sensor provides feedback on load weight to the controller, which then adjusts the gas quantity in the reservoir through motor-driven piston rod adjustment. This feedback mechanism ensures the lifting speed is automatically reduced when light load is detected, preventing injuries or damages.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #23Feedback

Solution Approach 2:

The system changes the gas quantity parameter in the reservoir based on detected load weight. When light load is detected, the controller reduces gas quantity in the reservoir, thereby reducing thrust force and controlling lifting speed to prevent injuries or damages to people or objects nearby.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #35Parameter changes

3Force

If the piston rod assembly is pushed inwardly to increase thrust force, then heavy load is balanced, but the gas volume in the gas spring body increases reducing lifting speed

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvethrust forceVSAvoidlifting speed
Core Design Contradiction:
ForceVSSpeed

Solution Approach 1:

The gas storage function is segmented between the gas spring body and the gas reservoir. The gas reservoir acts as an adjustable buffer that can store or release gas to the spring body, allowing independent control of thrust force and gas volume to resolve the speed-thrust force trade-off.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #1Segmentation

4Device complexity

If manual operation is used to adjust the lifting table, then the structure is simple, but the operation becomes strenuous and prone to damage under heavy load

Engineering Contradiction:
ImprovestructureVSAvoidoperation effort
Core Design Contradiction:
Device complexityVSEase of operation

Solution Approach 1:

The manual mechanical operation is replaced with an automated motor-driven system. The motor drives the piston rod assembly to adjust gas quantity in the reservoir based on pressure sensor feedback, automatically providing the required thrust force for heavy loads and eliminating manual strain and transmission assembly damage risks.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #28Mechanics substitution (Replace mechanical system)

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 safe, stable, and comfortable lifting experience with reduced risk of damage, longer service life, and lower operational costs by maintaining uniform lifting/lowering speeds and conserving gas, enhancing practicality and stability.

Implementation Method 1

a pressure sensor configured to detect a load of the lifting table frame, a controller configured to receive a pressure signal from the pressure sensor

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectPressure detection: Pressure Increase

Implementation Method 2

the gas in the gas reservoir is partially pressed into the adjustable gas spring body, which increases the pressure in the adjustable gas spring body and thus increases the thrust force against the column

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectGas compression and pressure transmission: Compression

Implementation Method 3

the gas in the gas reservoir is partially pressed into the adjustable gas spring body, which increases the pressure in the adjustable gas spring body

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectPascal's Law: Pascal's Law

Implementation Method 4

the drive unit drives the piston rod assembly to carry out a piston motion in the gas reservoir

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectPiston motion: Hydraulic Press

Data Source

PatentEP4026455B1Pneumatic height-adjustable desk support and height-adjustable desk
Publication Date: 2024.07.31 NINGBO HAISHIKAI DRIVER TECH CO LTD
  • EP4026455B1 patent drawingFigure 1~2
  • EP4026455B1 patent drawingFigure 3~4
  • EP4026455B1 patent drawingFigure 5~6

AI summary

A pneumatic lifting table frame and a lifting table, relating to the field of lifting mechanisms. The lifting table includes a transverse beam and columns, and further includes a pressure sensor that detects a load of the lifting table frame, a controller configured to receive a pressure signal from the pressure sensor, and an adjustable gas spring assembly configured to drive the columns to be lifted or lowered. The adjustable gas spring assembly includes an adjustable gas spring body, a gas reservoir, a piston rod assembly, and a drive unit. The adjustable gas spring body is connected to the gas reservoir via a gas pipe. The controller is configured to control the drive unit, the adjustable gas spring body is disposed in one of the columns, and the drive unit drives the piston rod assembly to carry out a piston motion in the gas reservoir. The lifting table frame has a better comfort, a longer service life, a higher stability, a stronger practicality, and a lower damage possibility.