Polygonal Drive Shaft Plastic Winding Body Torque Transmission

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Solution Overview

Problem

Vehicle washing systems with height-adjustable treatment tools require significant effort and resources for manufacturing, assembly, and maintenance due to the complexity and weight of metal components.

Innovation Solution

The use of a polygonal drive shaft with a plastic winding body featuring a receiving part matching the polygonal profile ensures reliable torque transmission, allowing for a lightweight and cost-effective design that reduces assembly and maintenance efforts, with additional features like fiber-reinforced polyamide materials, support ribs, and a one-piece plastic molded part.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Strength

If a metal winding body is used to ensure mechanical strength and reliability, then the structural integrity is improved, but the weight and manufacturing cost increase

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvemechanical strengthVSAvoidweight of winding body
Core Design Contradiction:
StrengthVSWeight of moving object

Solution Approach 1:

The patent applies composite materials by combining plastic (polyamide) with fiber reinforcement (glass fibers or carbon fibers). This creates a composite winding body that achieves high mechanical strength and stiffness while maintaining low weight. The fiber-reinforced plastic structure provides the necessary load-bearing capacity without the weight penalty of metal components.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #40Composite materials

Solution Approach 2:

The patent changes the material parameters by transitioning from metal to fiber-reinforced plastic. This material substitution fundamentally alters the strength-to-weight ratio, enabling the winding body to maintain structural integrity while significantly reducing weight. The parameter change also affects manufacturing complexity and assembly requirements.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #35Parameter changes

2Strength

If a metal winding body is used to ensure mechanical strength, then the structural integrity is improved, but the manufacturing and assembly effort increases

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvemechanical strengthVSAvoidmanufacturing effort
Core Design Contradiction:
StrengthVSEase of manufacture

Solution Approach 1:

The fiber-reinforced plastic composite enables complex geometries to be manufactured in single pieces using injection molding or similar processes. The plastic matrix binds the reinforcement fibers to form an integrated structure that would be difficult and costly to manufacture from metal components, reducing assembly steps and manufacturing complexity.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #40Composite materials

Solution Approach 2:

The patent merges multiple functions into the single plastic winding body component. The receiving part with the inner contour, the winding surface, and structural support elements are all integrated into one molded part, eliminating the need for separate metal components and their associated assembly operations.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #5Merging (Combining)

3Strength

If a metal winding body is used to ensure mechanical strength, then the structural integrity is improved, but the maintenance cost and complexity increases

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvemechanical strengthVSAvoidmaintenance effort
Core Design Contradiction:
StrengthVSEase of repair

Solution Approach 1:

The fiber-reinforced plastic winding body offers superior corrosion resistance compared to metal, eliminating rust and degradation issues. The material's inherent durability and resistance to environmental factors reduce maintenance requirements. Additionally, the integrated design with no separate metal fasteners or connections eliminates common failure points that would require maintenance.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #40Composite materials

Solution Approach 2:

The plastic winding body can be manufactured as a cost-effective, replaceable component. If damage occurs, the entire plastic unit can be replaced as a single piece without complex disassembly or specialized repair procedures, simplifying maintenance operations.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #27Cheap short-living objects (Disposable)

4Weight of moving object

If a polygonal drive shaft with plastic winding body is used for torque transmission, then the weight is reduced, but the torque transmission reliability must be maintained

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveweight of winding bodyVSAvoidtorque transmission reliability
Core Design Contradiction:
Weight of moving objectVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

The fiber reinforcement in the plastic winding body provides the necessary stiffness and strength to reliably transmit torque from the polygonal drive shaft. The directional arrangement of reinforcement fibers can be optimized to handle the specific stress patterns from the polygonal connection, ensuring reliable torque transmission despite the lighter weight.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #40Composite materials

Solution Approach 2:

The patent employs a polygonal drive shaft profile (square or hexagonal) that engages with a corresponding recess in the plastic winding body. This geometric interlocking mechanism, combined with the friction grip from the fitted connection, ensures reliable torque transmission without slipping, even with the reduced weight of the plastic construction.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #14Spheroidality (Curvature)

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

This design significantly reduces manufacturing, assembly, and maintenance costs while maintaining mechanical strength and reliability, enabling easier handling and installation of the system at higher working heights.

Implementation Method 1

The receiving part is made of plastic and has an inner contour corresponding to the polygonal profile, so that the receiving part can receive the drive shaft in a form-fitting manner. This enables reliable torque transmission between the drive shaft and the bobbin.

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectFriction: Friction

Data Source

PatentEP1864874B1Vehicle washing bay
Publication Date: 2010.10.13 ALFRED KARCHER SE & CO KG
  • EP1864874B1 patent drawingFigure 1
  • EP1864874B1 patent drawingFigure 2~3
  • EP1864874B1 patent drawingFigure 4

AI summary

Supporting devices each wind up and down onto a winding unit that rotates on bearings and has a winding body, which winds a supporting device up and is held in a torque-proof manner on a drive shaft with a rotating drive. The drive shaft has a polygonal profile. A treatment device between supports (13,14) takes the form of a cleaning brush (17) with adjustable height.