Spring Return Coupling With Rotation Limiter for Safe Reversal
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional spring return devices lack a safe and efficient method to reverse the direction of operation and prevent sudden release of stored energy, which can cause injury or damage during assembly, disassembly, or power interruptions.
Innovation Solution
A spring return device with a rotatable drive coupling and a limiter element that limits rotation in one direction, allowing energy to be stored safely and preventing full release, enabling easy reversal of operation by inverting the device while energy is still stored.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If the drive coupling is allowed to rotate freely in both directions, then the device can operate bidirectionally, but sudden release of stored energy can cause injury or damage
Solution Approach 1:
The limiter element is pre-configured with stopping surfaces that will engage with the retainer's stopping surfaces at predetermined positions. This preliminary arrangement ensures that when the drive coupling rotates, the energy release is automatically constrained at safe predetermined positions without requiring active control or additional safety mechanisms during operation.
Solution Approach 2:
The limiter element acts as an intermediary component between the drive coupling and the retainer. It mediates the rotational motion by providing stopping surfaces that interact with the retainer's stopping surfaces, thereby controlling the energy release process and preventing sudden dangerous movements while still allowing bidirectional operation.
2Adaptability or versatility
If the spring is fully unwound to reverse operation direction, then the device can be reconfigured, but all stored energy is released causing safety hazards
Solution Approach 1:
The stopping surfaces on the limiter element and retainer are pre-positioned to engage at specific rotational positions. This allows the drive coupling to be rotated to a predetermined position where the limiter's stopping surface engages with the retainer's stopping surface, enabling safe inversion of the device while maintaining stored energy in the spring without requiring complete unwinding.
Solution Approach 2:
The limiter element provides preliminary counter-action to the spring's torque by engaging the stopping surfaces at predetermined positions. This prevents the spring from fully unwinding and releasing all its energy, thereby counteracting the harmful effect of complete energy release while still allowing the device to be inverted for operation reversal.
3Device complexity
If conventional spring return devices are used without rotation limiting, then the structure is simple, but complex disassembly and reassembly is required for safe reversal
Solution Approach 1:
The limiter element is pre-installed on the drive coupling with stopping surfaces positioned to engage with corresponding stopping surfaces on the retainer at predetermined rotational positions. This preliminary configuration enables the device to be safely inverted and reversed without requiring complete disassembly or complex procedures, as the stopping surfaces automatically provide guidance and constraint during the reversal process.
4Ease of operation
If the drive coupling rotates beyond predetermined positions, then full range of motion is achieved, but safety risks increase due to uncontrolled energy release
Solution Approach 1:
The stopping surfaces on the limiter element and retainer are pre-configured to engage at predetermined rotational positions, establishing safe boundaries for the drive coupling's rotation. This preliminary arrangement ensures that the drive coupling can rotate through the necessary range of motion for operation reversal but will be automatically stopped at predetermined positions, preventing rotation beyond safe limits and maintaining reliability.
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 safety by minimizing the risk of accidental energy release and simplifies the reversal process, eliminating the need for complex disassembly and reassembly steps, and automatically returns to a predetermined position to store energy.
Implementation Method 1
rotation of the drive coupling in a first direction causes mechanical energy to be stored in the spring
Implementation Method 2
the clock-spring is wound up within the retaining band so that it stores mechanical energy and provides a torque on the rotatable shaft
Data Source
AI summary
The present invention provides a spring return device comprising a rotatable drive coupling configured for releasably engaging a rotatable drive part on a first side of the device and configured for releasably engaging a rotatable drive part on an opposite second side of the device. A spring is engaged with the drive coupling, and a retainer retains the spring. The drive coupling is rotatable relative to the retainer, wherein rotation of the drive coupling relative to the retainer in a first direction causes mechanical energy to be stored in the spring. The spring return device further comprises a limiter element that is arranged to rotate with the drive coupling, and one or more stopping surfaces comprising a first stopping surface arranged to abut a first limiter surface on the limiter element when the drive coupling is in a first predetermined rotational position, to thereby limit rotation of the drive coupling relative to the retainer in a second direction, the second direction being opposite to the first direction. The spring return device of the invention may facilitate reversing the direction of operation of the spring return device.