Sectional Frame Safety Device with Internal Clamping Mechanism
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing safety devices for sectional frames, such as doors and gates, fail to effectively block the frame when the drive cable breaks, especially in curved areas and when additional guides or accessories are present, leading to potential damage and safety risks.
Innovation Solution
A safety device with rolling elements and support elements that oscillate between positions, utilizing elastic means and internal clamping elements to clamp the frame in any position, ensuring immediate blocking when the drive means fail, and maintaining a compact design to avoid interference with other guides.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If the safety device uses external clamping means protruding from the guide means, then it can act against the guide means to block the frame, but it excessively protrudes and may be hindered by supplementary guides or accessory devices
Solution Approach 1:
The clamping means is inverted from an external protruding configuration to an internal recessed configuration. Instead of protruding outward from the guide means, the clamping surfaces are positioned inside the guide means, allowing the support elements to clamp the guide means from within its structural profile without external protrusion that would interfere with supplementary guides or accessories.
2Ease of operation
If the safety device moves away from the guides in the curved area, then it cannot grip the guides, but it needs to function in all positions including curved areas
Solution Approach 1:
The support elements are segmented with separate clamping surfaces that can independently engage with the guide means. This segmentation allows the support elements to maintain gripping capability through curved areas of the guide means, as each segment can adapt to the local geometry while maintaining contact with the guide profile.
Solution Approach 2:
The clamping action is transitioned from a linear external protrusion to a multi-dimensional internal engagement. The clamping surfaces are oriented in multiple directions within the guide means profile, enabling the support elements to maintain gripping capability across different orientations and curved areas of the guide means.
3Reliability
If the support elements oscillate between maximum and minimum distance positions, then they can block the frame when cable breaks, but they may not intervene in certain operating conditions
Solution Approach 1:
The support elements are designed with dynamic oscillation capability between maximum and minimum distance positions relative to the sliding axis. This dynamic positioning allows the clamping means to adapt to different operating conditions and frame positions, ensuring that the support elements can engage the guide means effectively whether the frame is in vertical, curved, or horizontal sections.
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 safety device ensures immediate and reliable blocking of the sectional frame in any position, preventing damage and enhancing safety by using internal clamping mechanisms that function effectively in all segments of the guide, including curved areas, without excessive protrusion.
Implementation Method 1
a pair of rolling elements lying on the sliding axis and a pair of support elements, on each of which a corresponding rolling element is pivoted
Implementation Method 2
The support elements are able to oscillate between two positions in which there is, respectively, minimum and maximum distance between the central pivoting axis and the sliding axis of the rolling elements
Implementation Method 3
The clamping means is external and protruding from the guide means, and acts against an external surface of the guide means
Data Source
Figure 1~4
AI summary
Safety device (10) for a frame having a plurality of panels which have cursor means (12) that slides, along a sliding axis (X), in guide means (13), which frame is moved by drive means (20), in which the cursor means (12) comprises a pair of rolling elements (14), lying along the sliding axis (X), a pair of support elements (15, 16) on each of which a rolling element (14) is pivoted, and which are pivoted with respect to each another on a first pivoting axis (P), displaced with respect to the sliding axis (X), and substantially perpendicular to the plane on which the rolling elements (14) lie. The pair of support elements (15, 16) oscillates between a first position where the rolling elements (14) are close to one another, and a second position where the rolling elements (14) are far from each other. The passage from the first to the second position is caused by the breaking of the drive means (20). Elastic means (24) is also provided, which cooperates with the support elements (15, 16), in order to thrust the latter towards the second position, and a clamping means (22), associated with one of the support elements (15, 16), which acts against an internal surface (27) of the guide means (13) when said support elements (15, 16) are in said second position, in order to block the displacement of the sectional frame (26), and which is disposed in a position substantially opposite said first pivoting axis (P), with respect to said sliding axis (X).