Segmented Leveling Foot Assembly for Faster Rack Adjustment
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing leveling foot assemblies for equipment racks are inconvenient to adjust due to the need to rotate the entire thread of the rod, making it time-consuming and difficult to extend the leveling foot past the caster wheel.
Innovation Solution
A leveling foot assembly with a spring-biased rod that moves from a raised to a lowered position, allowing the leveling foot to be adjusted efficiently without rotating the entire rod, and featuring a rotating nut for easy operation.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If the leveling foot is adjusted by rotating the leveling nut from the side, then the leveling foot can be extended past the caster wheel, but the process is slow and inconvenient
Solution Approach 1:
The rod is segmented into a first threaded portion, a second threaded portion, and a third threadless portion. The first threaded portion engages the leveling nut to raise the foot, the third threadless portion allows the nut to pass through freely, and the second threaded portion engages the nut to lower the foot. This segmentation eliminates the need to rotate the entire rod length, significantly reducing adjustment time and improving ease of operation.
2Manufacturing precision
If the entire length of the rod is rotated to adjust the leveling foot, then the leveling foot can be positioned correctly, but the process is time-consuming and inconvenient
Solution Approach 1:
The rod is divided into threaded and threadless portions. The threadless portion acts as a passage that allows the leveling nut to move through without rotation, while the threaded portions provide precise positioning when engagement is needed. This enables quick adjustment by only rotating the rod over the threaded sections rather than the entire length, improving both precision and installation speed.
Solution Approach 2:
The third threadless portion of the rod serves as an intermediary element that allows the leveling nut to pass through freely during adjustment. This intermediary section eliminates the need to rotate the entire rod, as the nut can slide through the threadless portion and engage only with the threaded portions when positioning is required.
3Productivity
If a spring is added to bias the leveling foot to the lowered position, then the adjustment process is accelerated, but the device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
A spring is added to the assembly that biases the rod toward the lowered position. This spring acts as a counterweight force that automatically pushes the leveling foot down when the threaded engagement is released, accelerating the adjustment process. While this increases device complexity slightly, it significantly improves productivity by eliminating manual rotation of the entire rod length.
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 solution allows for quick and efficient adjustment of the leveling feet, reducing installation time and effort, while maintaining the equipment rack in a level position.
Implementation Method 1
A spring is provided to bias the rod from a raised position to a lowered position
Data Source
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AI summary
A leveling foot assembly includes a foot and a rod secured to the foot. The rod includes a first threaded portion, a second threaded portion, and a third threadless portion positioned between the first threaded portion and the second threaded portion. The leveling foot assembly further includes a leveling nut configured to engage the first threaded portion of the rod when the foot is in a raised position and configured to engage the second threaded portion of the nut when the foot is in a lowered position.