Pool Cover Hinged Sliding Assembly to Reduce Wear Damage
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional pool cover assemblies experience excessive wear and potential damage due to the movement of the sliding assembly, which affects the functionality of the pool cover system.
Innovation Solution
A hinged sliding assembly is introduced, comprising a slider member and a hinged rope lock member coupled to the slider member, which reduces undesirable pivoting and twisting by securing the rope lock member to the slider member through a snap-fit connection, allowing for controlled movement along a track.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If a conventional sliding assembly is used to move the pool cover along the track, then the pool cover can be extended and retracted, but excessive wear and potential damage occur due to undesirable pivoting and twisting of the sliding assembly components
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies the dynamics principle by introducing a hinged connection between the rope lock member and slider member, allowing the assembly to adapt its configuration during movement. The hinge enables controlled rotation to accommodate track variations while maintaining proper alignment, preventing excessive wear and damage by allowing dynamic adjustment rather than rigid fixed positioning.
Solution Approach 2:
The hinge acts as an intermediary element between the rope lock member and slider member, mediating the forces and movements between these components. It absorbs and redistributes stress during operation, preventing direct transmission of harmful pivoting and twisting forces to the sliding assembly components, thereby reducing wear and damage.
2Stability of the object's composition
If the rope lock member is rigidly fixed to the slider member, then structural stability is improved, but undesirable pivoting and twisting increase causing excessive wear
Solution Approach 1:
The hinge connection transforms the rigid fixed connection into a dynamic joint that maintains structural stability while allowing controlled movement. The hinge provides rotational freedom that accommodates track irregularities and operational stresses, preventing the buildup of harmful pivoting and twisting forces while maintaining overall assembly stability.
Solution Approach 2:
The hinge changes the mechanical parameters of the connection between rope lock member and slider member, transitioning from a rigid fixed parameter to a controlled rotational parameter. This allows the connection to maintain stability under normal conditions while permitting controlled movement to prevent excessive pivoting and twisting during operation.
3Ease of operation
If the sliding assembly allows movement between components to accommodate track variations, then ease of operation is improved, but wear and damage to components increase
Solution Approach 1:
The hinge creates a dynamic connection that allows controlled movement between the rope lock member and slider member to accommodate track variations. This controlled dynamics enables ease of operation by permitting necessary adjustments while preventing uncontrolled movement that would cause excessive wear and damage to components.
Data Source
AI summary
Described is a hinged sliding assembly for a pool cover assembly including a slider member having a rod member and defining an opening, wherein the slider member is coupleable to a pool cover; and a hinged rope lock member coupled to the rod member and positioned at least partially within the opening, wherein the hinged rope lock member is coupleable to a rope of the pool cover.