Sliding Bus Hatch Cover with Conveyor Chain Mechanism
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing bus hatch covering devices require significant effort and time to open and close, especially when accessing underfloor components in buses, and lack adequate safety features for quick operation and work safety.
Innovation Solution
A bus hatch covering device featuring a frame with a sliding element that can be easily moved into and out of a covered position, using a bush conveyor chain for smooth operation, and equipped with automatic locking and warning signals to enhance safety and ease of use.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If a conventional fixed cover is used for the bus hatch, then safety is improved by preventing accidental opening, but ease of operation deteriorates as significant effort and time are required to remove and reinstall the cover
Solution Approach 1:
The cover is transformed from a fixed static structure to a dynamic movable structure that can slide along the frame. The sliding element with rollers allows the cover to move freely between closed and open positions, enabling quick access while maintaining safety when closed.
Solution Approach 2:
A sliding element acts as an intermediary between the cover and the frame, facilitating easy movement. The rollers on the sliding element reduce friction and enable smooth sliding operation, solving the contradiction between safety and ease of operation.
2Reliability
If the bus hatch cover is made secure and fixed, then work safety is improved, but productivity deteriorates due to the time-consuming process of removing and reinstalling the cover
Solution Approach 1:
The cover system is made dynamic with a sliding mechanism that allows rapid opening and closing. This eliminates the time-consuming process of removing and reinstalling fixed covers, significantly improving productivity while maintaining safety through the closed position.
Solution Approach 2:
The manual process of removing and reinstalling heavy fixed covers is replaced by a sliding mechanical system with rollers. This substitution reduces the physical effort and time required, improving both productivity and ease of operation.
3Ease of operation
If the frame is made twice as long as the bus hatch width to allow sliding movement, then ease of operation is improved, but device complexity increases due to the extended frame structure
Solution Approach 1:
The frame is segmented into functional zones: a sliding area extending twice the hatch width to accommodate the sliding element's full range of motion, and a compact hatch area. This segmentation allows the extended frame to serve a specific functional purpose without unnecessarily complicating the overall structure.
Solution Approach 2:
The extended frame structure serves multiple functions: it provides the sliding path for the cover, supports the rollers and sliding element, and maintains structural integrity. This multi-functionality justifies the extended frame length while managing complexity through integrated design.
Data Source
AI summary
The device (1) has a frame (3) sectionally provided with a traversable covering (5). The frame is two times long as a width (B) of a bus installation pit (21) to be covered. A disk element (7) is movably mounted in the frame. The disk element is displaced relative to the frame in two positions. The disk element is completely arranged in a covering free area of the frame in one of the positions, and completely covered by the covering in the other position. A bush conveyor chain is arranged between the disk element and the frame. The disk element includes a girder profile made of plastic.