Spring-Balanced Lifting Mechanism for Gear-Free Height Adjustment
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing lifting devices for objects with smaller bases, such as displays, face issues with gear engagement problems, high maintenance costs, and complexity, particularly in adjusting the height to accommodate different positions and user needs.
Innovation Solution
A lifting device comprising a body, a sliding member, an elastic member, an adjusting member, and a connecting member, where the elastic member deforms to provide forces that balance torques at any position, allowing the object to be maintained at any desired level with minimal maintenance and cost, using a mechanism that adjusts the moment-arm of the force exerted by the elastic member relative to the adjusting member's pivot.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If a gear set is used for height adjustment, then the object can be positioned at any desired level, but the device complexity increases and maintenance becomes heavy and complicated
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts the complex gear set from the system and replaces it with a simple elastic member (spring) that directly provides the height adjustment function. The spring is connected to the sliding member and can be compressed or extended to achieve height adjustment without any intermediate gears or complex mechanisms.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent changes the physical state of the elastic member during operation. The spring transitions between compressed and extended states to provide height adjustment, utilizing elastic deformation to achieve the desired positioning function without mechanical gears.
2Adaptability or versatility
If a gear set is used for height adjustment, then the object can be positioned at any desired level, but the maintenance cost increases due to regular oiling and assembly disassembly
Solution Approach 1:
The patent removes the gear set entirely from the system, eliminating all associated maintenance requirements such as oiling, gear mesh adjustment, and assembly disassembly. The simple elastic member requires no maintenance during normal operation.
Solution Approach 2:
The elastic member is designed to be self-contained and maintenance-free. It automatically provides the height adjustment function through its elastic properties without requiring any external maintenance activities or specialized servicing.
3Adaptability or versatility
If a gear set is used for height adjustment, then the object can be positioned at any desired level, but the cost of the device increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent eliminates the expensive gear set and replaces it with an inexpensive elastic member. This dramatically reduces the bill of materials cost while maintaining the height adjustment functionality.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent uses a simple, inexpensive elastic member that can be easily manufactured and replaced if needed. The low cost of the spring component makes the overall device more economical compared to using precision gear sets.
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 device enables objects to be positioned at any level with reduced torque variations, minimizing maintenance and costs, while prolonging the service life of the elastic member by using coaxial pulleys with different diameters to distribute the deformation effectively.
Implementation Method 1
the elastic member deforms to provide a first force to the adjusting member... the elastic member deforms to provide a second force to the adjusting member
Implementation Method 2
when the elastic member deforms, the adjusting member rotates relative to the first pivot of the adjusting member, so that a moment-arm of a force exerted to the adjusting member by the elastic member changes
Implementation Method 3
a torque generated by friction forces between the body, the sliding member, the elastic member, a fixed pulley and the connecting member
Data Source
AI summary
A lifting device adapted to bear an object is provided. The lifting device includes a body, a sliding member, an elastic member, an adjusting member and a connecting member. The sliding member is slidably disposed at the body moves along a first axis and stays at any position between a highest position and a lowest position. A first end of the elastic member is disposed at the body. The adjusting member is pivotally disposed at the body and linked up to the elastic member. The connecting member is disposed between the adjusting member and the sliding member. Wherever the sliding member is located, total torques generated by a force provided by the elastic member, gravity of the object and the sliding member, friction forces between the body, the sliding member, the elastic member, a fixed pulley and the connecting member are substantially zero.