Side table
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional side tables with telescopic units often experience excessive friction and manufacturing tolerance issues, leading to rough operation and wobbling due to loose coupling between inner and outer tubes.
Innovation Solution
The side table incorporates a telescopic tube unit with an outer tube, an inner tube, and a roller subunit, where rollers on the inner tube reduce friction and ensure smooth telescopic operation, and adjustable units correct manufacturing tolerances for proper coupling.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Device complexity
If the inner tube and outer tube are directly coupled telescopically, then the structure is simple, but excessive friction occurs and telescopic operation is not smooth
Solution Approach 1:
A roller subunit is introduced as an intermediary component between the inner tube and outer tube. The roller subunit includes rollers that contact the inner surrounding surface of the outer tube, enabling smooth telescopic operation by converting sliding friction into rolling friction, thus resolving the contradiction between structural simplicity and operational smoothness
2Ease of manufacture
If manufacturing tolerances are not controlled, then production cost is reduced, but the inner and outer tubes are loosely coupled causing wobble
Solution Approach 1:
The roller subunit is designed with adjustable parameters including roller diameter, roller spacing, and roller contact pressure. By adjusting these parameters, the system can compensate for manufacturing tolerances in the inner and outer tubes, ensuring stable coupling and preventing wobble while maintaining cost-effective production
3Device complexity
If friction between inner tube and outer tube is high, then structural simplicity is maintained, but telescopic operation becomes rough
Solution Approach 1:
The roller subunit acts as a mediator between the inner tube and outer tube, replacing direct sliding contact with rolling contact. This reduces friction significantly while adding minimal structural complexity, as the roller subunit can be integrated into the existing telescopic mechanism
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
This design enhances the smoothness of telescopic operation and stability by reducing friction and ensuring proper coupling, allowing for stepless height adjustment and preventing wobbling.
Implementation Method 1
The roller subunit is mounted to the inner tube subunit, and includes a plurality of rollers being in slidable contact with the inner surrounding surface of the outer tube subunit
Data Source
AI summary
A side table includes a base unit, a top board, and a telescopic tube unit that is mounted to the base unit, and that includes an outer tube subunit, an inner tube subunit and a roller subunit. The outer tube subunit extends in an up-down direction. The inner tube subunit is coupled telescopically to the outer tube subunit. The roller subunit is mounted to the inner tube subunit, and includes a plurality of rollers that are in slidable contact with the outer tube subunit. The top board corresponds in position to the base unit in the up-down direction, and is mounted co-movably to the outer tube subunit such that a distance between the base unit and the top board in the up-down direction changes during telescopic operation of the telescopic tube unit.