Pyramid Drive Device with Segmented Side Rails
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing drive devices lack a balance between weight savings and high rigidity, with limited deflection angles, making them unsuitable for applications requiring a large radius of action beyond simple wing movement.
Innovation Solution
A power transmission structure with three resiliently flexible side rails arranged in a pyramid shape, connected by a rigid coupling member with joints allowing relative pivotability, enabling transverse deflection and maintaining structural integrity through strategically placed coupling links, allowing for large deflection angles with low actuation forces.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Stability of the object's composition
If a rigid structure is used to ensure high rigidity, then structural stability is improved, but weight increases
Solution Approach 1:
The structure is divided into multiple resilient side rails connected by rigid coupling members at discrete intervals rather than being a single continuous rigid structure. This segmentation allows the side rails to be lighter while the coupling members provide necessary rigidity at critical points, resolving the contradiction between weight and structural stability.
Solution Approach 2:
The drive device combines resilient flexible side rails with rigid coupling members to create a composite structure. This composite approach allows each component to be optimized for its specific function - the side rails for flexibility and weight savings, the coupling members for rigidity and stability - achieving both light weight and high structural stability.
2Length of moving object
If the power transmission structure is made longer to increase radius of action, then range of motion is improved, but structural stability deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The extended power transmission structure is divided into multiple segments with rigid coupling members placed at intervals along the length. This segmentation prevents the structure from collapsing while maintaining its extended configuration, allowing increased radius of action without sacrificing structural stability.
Solution Approach 2:
The rigid coupling members are pre-positioned at strategic intervals along the side rails to prevent collapse before it occurs. This preliminary structural reinforcement allows the power transmission structure to be made longer while maintaining stability throughout its range of motion.
3Ease of operation
If larger actuation forces are applied to achieve larger deflection angles, then range of motion is improved, but energy consumption increases
Solution Approach 1:
The resilient side rails are designed to be flexible and dynamically respond to small actuation forces by deflecting through large angles. This dynamic flexibility allows the structure to achieve large deflection angles without requiring proportionally large actuation forces, reducing energy consumption while improving ease of operation.
Solution Approach 2:
The material properties of the side rails are selected to optimize the relationship between applied force and deflection angle. By choosing materials with appropriate elasticity and strength characteristics, the structure achieves large deflection angles with small actuation forces, improving ease of operation while minimizing energy consumption.
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 lightweight drive device with high rigidity and a large range of action, enabling spatial deflection of the head area in all directions up to 90°, suitable for handling technology and other applications, while maintaining energy efficiency and preventing structural collapse.
Implementation Method 1
three resiliently flexible side rails which can be moved relative to one another by drive means in order to cause transverse deflection of the power transmission structure
Implementation Method 2
a joint that enables relative pivotability between the side rail and the coupling link
Data Source
Figure 1
Figure 2
Figure 3~7
AI summary
The device (1) has side beams (7) e.g. glass fiber rods, relatively moved together by a drive unit (16) e.g. control valve device, so as to produce lateral deflection (23) of a force transmission structure (3). The side beams are movably coupled together in a coupling region (18) by a rigid coupling element (22), where the coupling region is arranged between a base region (5) and a head region (6). The coupling element is fixed to the side beams by interconnection by a joint (20), which enables a relative pivotability between the side beams and the coupling element.