Slidable Room Assembly with Cable Pulley Mechanism
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing vehicle slideout installations face limitations in amplitude of movement due to short screws and pinions, leading to impaired operability and potential structural weaknesses in the underframe, and often require modifications that compromise the vehicle's strength and rigidity.
Innovation Solution
A vehicle slideout assembly utilizing a single motor for reciprocation between retracted and extended positions, with bevel gear configurations at corners for even movement and a rack/gear assembly for smooth transition, allowing for additional motors to handle increased load capacity.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Length of moving object
If screws or pinions are used for telescoping movement, then the slideout unit can be moved between extended and retracted positions, but the amplitude of movement is limited due to the short length required for practical reasons
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces the traditional screw or pinion mechanism with a cable and pulley system. The cable is reeved through multiple pulleys (including idler pulleys) to create a mechanical advantage system that can achieve greater movement amplitude without requiring excessively long fastening elements. This substitution resolves the contradiction by enabling larger slideout amplitudes while maintaining operational reliability.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent introduces idler pulleys as intermediary elements in the cable system. These idler pulleys redirect the cable path and provide mechanical advantage, allowing the slideout unit to achieve greater movement amplitude. The intermediary pulleys enable the system to overcome the limitation of short screws or pinions while maintaining reliable operation throughout the extended range of motion.
2Volume of moving object
If the slideout unit is extended to increase living space, then more room is available when parked, but the cantilevered structure tends to tip downwardly and become loose at the top
Solution Approach 1:
The patent employs a cable and pulley system where the cable is reeved to provide counterbalancing forces. The mechanical advantage created by the pulley arrangement helps counteract the downward tipping force of the cantilevered slideout unit. This counterbalancing mechanism maintains structural stability throughout the extension range, preventing the unit from becoming loose at the top while still enabling increased living space when parked.
3Ease of operation
If the slideout mechanism supports the weight of the cantilevered slideout room, then the unit can be extended, but the weight impairs slideability and invites leakage
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces the traditional screw or pinion mechanism with a cable and pulley system. This substitution reduces friction and mechanical binding, significantly improving slideability. The cable system allows the heavy cantilevered unit to move smoothly with minimal resistance, while the pulley arrangement maintains proper alignment and sealing throughout the movement, preventing leakage issues.
4Ease of manufacture
If the underframe is modified to accommodate the slideout mechanism, then the slideout unit can be installed, but the strength and rigidity of the underframe are lessened
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts the heavy mechanical components (screws, pinions, or alternative mechanisms) from the underframe structure and relocates them to the slideout unit itself or positions them where they minimize underframe modification. The cable and pulley system is designed to be mounted on the slideout unit or nearby structures, requiring minimal cutting or modification of the underframe. This extraction approach enables installation feasibility while preserving the strength and rigidity of the vehicle's structural framework.
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
Enables smooth, even movement of slideout units with reduced risk of tipping or leakage, maintaining structural integrity and enhancing the vehicle's living space without compromising the underframe's strength.
Implementation Method 1
A vehicle slideout assembly utilizing a single motor for reciprocation between retracted and extended positions, with bevel gear configurations at corners for even movement
Implementation Method 2
a rack/gear assembly for moving the slideable room assembly between extended and retracted positions
Data Source
AI summary
A slidable room assembly comprising a vehicle body having an opening formed in an exterior wall and a reciprocable slideout unit or compartment disposed in the opening and slidable between a retracted position and an extended position. Sliding movement of the slideout unit is controlled by means of a drive mechanism that includes rack gear assemblies driven from a drive shaft as described herein. Sliding movement of the slideout unit may be either motor driven or manually powered.