Rotating Support Profile for Smooth Sealing Protective Covers

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Solution Overview

Problem

Existing protective covers for moving machine parts lack sufficient pre-tensioning force and support, leading to resistance and sagging issues, especially with large and heavy covers, which compromises their ability to seal effectively and move smoothly.

Innovation Solution

A protective cover design featuring a rotatably mounted support profile that changes its cross-sectional orientation with movement, providing defined movement and preload force, combined with a length-variable protective cover element for uniform and resistance-free operation.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Reliability

If traditional support frames and frame elements are used to stabilize the protective cover, then the protective cover can be sealed from the environment, but the support frames lack sufficient preload force and support, causing the protective cover to sag and move with resistance

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvesealing capabilityVSAvoidmovement smoothness
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSEase of operation

Solution Approach 1:

The support profile is designed to be rotatable about an axis, allowing it to dynamically change its cross-sectional orientation from perpendicular to parallel with the direction of movement. This dynamic adjustment enables the support profile to provide optimal preload force and support during movement while maintaining sealing capability, resolving the contradiction between reliable sealing and smooth operation.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #15Dynamics

2Reliability

If the protective cover is made larger and heavier to provide better support, then the support and stability improve, but the protective cover requires considerable force to move and becomes prone to failure

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvesupport stabilityVSAvoidmovement force requirement
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSForce

Solution Approach 1:

Instead of increasing the size and weight of the protective cover to improve support stability, the invention employs a rotatable support profile that dynamically adjusts its orientation. This allows the support profile to provide maximum support and stability when needed while maintaining ease of movement, avoiding the need to increase the overall size and weight of the protective cover.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #15Dynamics

Solution Approach 2:

The support profile changes its effective support parameters by rotating about an axis, transitioning from a perpendicular cross-sectional orientation (providing support) to a parallel orientation (reducing resistance). This parameter change allows the system to maintain stability without requiring excessive movement force, resolving the contradiction between support stability and movement force requirement.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #35Parameter changes

3Ease of operation

If the support profile is rotatably mounted to change cross-sectional orientation, then the height of the cross section can be arranged perpendicular to the direction of movement in the first position and parallel in the second position, but this requires additional mounting mechanisms and space

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvemovement smoothnessVSAvoidmounting mechanism complexity
Core Design Contradiction:
Ease of operationVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The rotatable support profile serves multiple functions: it provides structural support, enables smooth movement by adjusting its orientation, and maintains sealing capability. By making the support profile multi-functional through its rotatable design, the invention reduces the need for separate mounting mechanisms and other components, thereby reducing overall device complexity while achieving smooth movement.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #6Universality (Multi-functionality)

Data Source

PatentEP4335586A1Protective cover for covering movable machine parts
Publication Date: 2024.03.13 ARNO ARNOLD GMBH & CO
  • EP4335586A1 patent drawingFigure 1
  • EP4335586A1 patent drawingFigure 2
  • EP4335586A1 patent drawingFigure 3

AI summary

The invention relates to a protective cover (1) with at least one support profile (100) and with at least one length-variable protective cover element (20), wherein the support profile (100) has a first connecting means (111) for the detachable connection of the protective cover element (20), and wherein the protective cover (1) is movable in the direction of movement (XR) in a predetermined range of movement (XB) defined between a first position (X1) of the protective cover (1) and a second position (X2) of the protective cover (1), wherein the support profile (100) is rotatably mounted about an axis (123) such that the height of the cross-section (H) of the support profile (100) can be arranged substantially perpendicular to the direction of movement (XR) in the first position (X1) and parallel to the direction of movement (XR) in the second position (X2).