Rollator Brake Cable Linkage for Single-Hand Wheel Braking
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing mobility aids, such as rollators, lack an efficient and user-friendly braking mechanism that allows for simultaneous control of multiple wheels, requiring constant manual actuation to maintain mobility.
Innovation Solution
A braking mechanism with dual brake handles and interconnected cables, pulleys, and a sliding block within a housing, enabling simultaneous actuation of brakes on both wheels, allowing for easy release and engagement of brakes with a single handle operation.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If traditional braking mechanisms are used in mobility aids, then each brake must be actuated separately, but this increases the complexity of operation and requires constant manual actuation
Solution Approach 1:
The patent combines multiple brake actuators into a single integrated brake handle assembly. The common brake handle operates both brakes simultaneously through shared cable mechanisms, reducing the number of separate actuators from two to one while maintaining individual brake control capability.
Solution Approach 2:
The single brake handle assembly serves multiple functions: it can actuate both brakes simultaneously, can actuate individual brakes selectively, and includes integrated cable routing and adjustment mechanisms. This multi-functional design eliminates the need for separate actuators for each brake.
2Ease of operation
If separate brake actuators are used for each wheel, then each brake can be controlled independently, but this requires constant manual actuation and reduces user convenience
Solution Approach 1:
The patent merges the actuation function for multiple brakes into a single handle operation. When the user squeezes the common brake handle, both brakes are actuated simultaneously through the cable system, eliminating the need for separate hand movements for each brake and reducing the time required for mobility control.
3Ease of manufacture
If independent cable systems are used for each brake, then each brake can be adjusted separately, but this increases the complexity of the cable routing and adjustment mechanisms
Solution Approach 1:
The patent combines multiple cable routing paths into a single integrated cable assembly. The cables are routed together through a common housing structure with shared adjustment mechanisms, reducing the number of separate routing paths and adjustment points while maintaining the ability to adjust each brake independently.
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
Facilitates easy and efficient control of multiple wheels, reducing the need for constant manual actuation, enhancing user convenience and mobility aid functionality.
Implementation Method 1
The connector is slidably supported in the housing and fixedly coupled to the middle portion of each of the first and second cables such that the middle portion of one of the first or second cables moving in a first direction results in the middle portion of the other of the first or second cables moving in the first direction.
Data Source
AI summary
A braking mechanism of a mobility aid includes a pair of brake handles, a pair of brake cables, and a pair of brakes. The brakes are in a normally braked state with wheels of a mobility aid until a user manually actuates one or both brake handles. The pair of brake cables are coupled to one another such that each of the brake cables are actuated simultaneously by a single-handed actuation of one of the pair of brake handles.