Rotatable Hydraulic Connecting Head for Low-Profile Lift Installation
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing hydraulic lift systems for adjustable work surfaces face difficulties in installation due to non-rotatable hydraulic cylinders and limited space, requiring additional coupling elbows or flexible tubing, which complicates alignment with the pressurized fluid source.
Innovation Solution
A compact, low-profile rotatable connecting head for hydraulic cylinders, integrated with a sealed glide adapter, allows for easy rotation and alignment during installation, facilitating the coupling of hydraulic fluid supply lines and providing additional clearance for tubing.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If a standard hydraulic cylinder with a fixed connecting head is used, then the cylinder structure is simple and robust, but the installation becomes difficult due to inability to rotate for alignment and limited space above the cylinder
Solution Approach 1:
The connecting head is segmented from the main cylinder body through a rotatable joint mechanism. This allows the connecting head to be independently positioned relative to the cylinder, enabling rotation for alignment during installation while maintaining the structural integrity of the overall system.
Solution Approach 2:
The connecting head is made dynamically rotatable rather than fixed. The rotatable joint allows the connecting head to change its angular position during installation to align with hydraulic supply tubes, then can be locked in place once aligned. This dynamic capability resolves the contradiction between installation ease and structural simplicity.
2Adaptability or versatility
If additional coupling elbows or flexible tubing are used to facilitate alignment, then installation flexibility is improved, but the device complexity and space requirements increase
Solution Approach 1:
The rotatable connecting head serves multiple functions: it provides the structural connection point, enables alignment through rotation, and eliminates the need for separate coupling elbows or flexible tubing. By integrating these functions into a single component, the system achieves installation flexibility without increasing overall device complexity.
Solution Approach 2:
The rotational alignment capability is extracted from the coupling components (elbows and flexible tubing) and integrated directly into the connecting head structure. This eliminates the need for separate coupling components while maintaining the same installation flexibility, thereby reducing device complexity.
3Length of stationary object
If space above the cylinder is limited, then the overall lift profile is compact, but mounting a standard hydraulic coupling becomes difficult
Solution Approach 1:
The connecting head utilizes the radial dimension through rotation rather than requiring additional axial space. By allowing rotation in the horizontal plane, the system achieves coupling accessibility without increasing the vertical profile height, thus resolving the contradiction between compactness and accessibility.
Solution Approach 2:
The connecting head is designed to be pre-positioned and rotatable, allowing alignment to be accomplished by simple rotation rather than requiring complex pre-alignment procedures or additional space for maneuvering coupling components during installation.
Data Source
AI summary
A lift includes a housing for rotatably receiving a hydraulic cylinder with a piston rod coupled to a generally cylindrical support tube. A low profile connecting head for supplying hydraulic fluid to the cylinder is rotatably mounted to the housing but captively held to the housing in the axial (longitudinal) direction. This allows the connecting head to be rotated during installation of the lift to a table leg for easy coupling to the pressurized source of hydraulic fluid.