Portable device for controlling electrical adjustable apparatus
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Solution Overview
Problem
Electrical adjustable apparatuses, such as tables, often collide with obstacles during height adjustment, leading to potential damage or articles falling, as users are unaware of obstacles in the raising/lowering path, resulting in costly damages and inefficiencies.
Innovation Solution
A portable device with a tilt sensor, processor, and signal transmitter is used to detect collisions and automatically initiate an anti-crash mechanism by sending stopping signals to the electrical adjustable apparatus, eliminating the need for a built-in tilt sensor and reducing manufacturing costs.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If a built-in tilt sensor is installed in the electrical adjustable apparatus to detect collision, then the reliability of collision detection is improved, but the device complexity and manufacturing cost increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent uses a portable device as an intermediary to perform collision detection. The portable device contains a tilt sensor that detects when the electrical adjustable apparatus collides with an obstacle. Instead of building the detection capability into the apparatus itself, the system mediates the detection function through an external portable device that communicates with the apparatus, thereby avoiding the need to increase the apparatus's own complexity while maintaining reliable collision detection.
Solution Approach 2:
The collision detection function is extracted from the electrical adjustable apparatus and placed in the portable device. The tilt sensor and processing logic are removed from the apparatus design and relocated to the portable device, which the user already possesses. This extraction reduces the complexity and manufacturing cost of the apparatus while preserving the safety function through the portable device's sensing capabilities.
2Productivity
If the electrical adjustable apparatus continues stretching/shortening after collision, then the productivity of height adjustment is improved, but the harmful factors such as damage to apparatus or obstacles increase
Solution Approach 1:
The system implements feedback by continuously monitoring the tilt angle of the portable device during the height adjustment process. When the tilt sensor detects a collision (tilt angle exceeds threshold), the system immediately sends a stopping signal to the motor, providing real-time feedback that prevents continued operation and potential damage. This feedback mechanism allows the system to maintain high productivity during normal operation while automatically preventing harmful effects when collisions occur.
Solution Approach 2:
The system applies preliminary anti-action by preparing the stopping signal in advance within the portable device. When collision is detected, the pre-prepared stopping signal is immediately transmitted to halt the motor, preventing the harmful continuation of stretching/shortening. This preliminary preparation of the counter-action (stopping signal) ensures rapid response to collisions without compromising the overall productivity of the height adjustment function.
3Ease of manufacture
If a portable device with tilt sensor is used for collision detection, then the manufacturing cost of electrical adjustable apparatus is reduced, but the device complexity of portable device increases
Solution Approach 1:
The portable device is designed to serve multiple functions: it acts as a remote control for the electrical adjustable apparatus, a collision detection system with tilt sensor, and a communication device. By making the portable device universal and multi-functional, the patent avoids increasing its complexity significantly, as these functions are integrated into a single device that users already carry. This multi-functionality approach reduces the overall system complexity while maintaining ease of manufacture for the electrical adjustable apparatus.
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
Prevents articles from falling and prevents damage to the apparatus or obstacles by automatically stopping the adjustment process upon collision detection, enhancing safety and reducing manufacturing costs by eliminating the need for a built-in tilt sensor in the electrical adjustable apparatus.
Implementation Method 1
a tilt sensor sensing a tilted angle and sensing a raising/lowering-controlling operation of moving or rotating the portable device
Data Source
AI summary
A portable device for controlling an external electrical adjustable apparatus is provided. The portable device has a case, a signal transmitter connected to the electrical adjustable apparatus, a tilt sensor sensing a tilted angle and a controlling operation, a memory storing a threshold angle and a processor. The processor generates a controlling signal according to the controlling operation, and transmitting the controlling signal to an electrical adjustable apparatus for making the electrical adjustable apparatus raise/lower. The processor further determines that the electrical adjustable apparatus has collision when receiving a controlling signal used to control the electrical adjustable apparatus and the tilted angle is not less than the threshold angle, and sends a stopping signal to the electrical adjustable apparatus via the signal transmitter for making the electrical adjustable apparatus stop raising/lowering when determining that the electrical adjustable apparatus has collision.