Rotary Joint Motion Limiter for Supply Line Twist Prevention
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Solution Overview
Problem
Rotary joints, particularly ball joints, allow unlimited rotation which can lead to supply lines being wound around joint parts, causing damage due to high mechanical stress, which is problematic for safety and regulatory compliance, especially in medical applications.
Innovation Solution
A device with two joint parts that can be rotated and pivoted about three axes, featuring recesses and roller bodies to limit the angle of rotation, ensuring the joint can move within a controlled range while maintaining stability and preventing excessive twisting of supply lines.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If unlimited rotation of the rotary joint is allowed, then the handling and positioning of the device is simple and ergonomic, but the supply lines can become wound around joint parts and may be damaged due to high mechanical stress
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies preliminary anti-action by pre-establishing mechanical stops that prevent the rotary joint from rotating beyond a safe angle range. These stops are built into the joint structure and actively prevent the harmful winding of supply lines before it can occur, thereby protecting the supply lines from mechanical damage while still allowing sufficient rotation for ergonomic handling.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent introduces an intermediary mechanical limiting structure consisting of stops and guiding elements that mediate between the desire for free rotation and the need to protect supply lines. This intermediary mechanism allows rotation within a safe range while blocking rotation that would cause supply line damage, thus resolving the contradiction between operational ease and reliability.
2Reliability
If the angle of rotation is limited to prevent supply line damage, then supply line safety is improved, but the mobility and ergonomic handling of the device is reduced
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies local quality by implementing rotation limitation only in the specific direction where supply line damage occurs, while maintaining full mobility in other necessary directions. The mechanical stops are positioned to constrain rotation at critical angles while allowing freedom of movement within the safe operating range, thus protecting supply lines without unnecessarily reducing overall joint mobility.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent changes the rotational parameter range of the joint from unlimited to a defined safe range. By modifying the rotation angle parameter through mechanical stops, the system maintains reliability while preserving sufficient mobility for ergonomic handling within the constrained range.
3Reliability
If mechanical stops are added to limit rotation, then supply line damage is prevented, but the device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent merges the rotation limiting function with the existing joint structure by integrating stops and guiding elements directly into the joint components. This combining approach prevents supply line damage while minimizing the increase in device complexity, as the limiting mechanism becomes part of the joint assembly rather than a separate add-on system.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent implements self-service by designing the mechanical stops and guiding elements to automatically prevent over-rotation without requiring external control systems or additional actuators. The joint structure itself provides the limitation through its built-in mechanical features, thereby preventing supply line damage while adding minimal complexity to the overall device.
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 device prevents supply line damage by limiting rotation to a predetermined angle, ensuring stability and compliance with safety regulations, while allowing sufficient mobility for ergonomic handling.
Implementation Method 1
both joint parts each have at least one first recess for guiding the at least one first roller body between the joint parts and the corresponding stops of the recesses in order to move the joint parts relative to one another in an angle range limited by the stops
Data Source
AI summary
A device, system and method limit the mobility of a rotary joint, preferably for a holding device for applications in human or veterinary medicine. The device includes two joint parts, rotatable and pivotable relative to each other about three axes, and at least one first roller body for limiting the relative mobility of the joint parts. Both joint parts have in each case at least one first recess for guiding the at least one first roller body between the joint parts and the respective stops of the recesses in order to move the joint parts relative to each other in an angle range limited by the stops.