Support Arm Apparatus with Adjustable Spring Balance
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Solution Overview
Problem
The current industry approach to support arm apparatuses for medical devices requires multiple apparatuses to accommodate different weight ranges, leading to increased production management costs.
Innovation Solution
A support arm apparatus with a connection base and a tube featuring a spring, where the connection base includes a sleeve connector and a pull-rod connector, and the tube includes a sleeve and an elastic part with a pull-rod and spring-rod part, allowing for adjustable balance forces to support medical apparatuses of varying weights.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If multiple support arm apparatuses are developed to accommodate different weight ranges, then the ability to support medical apparatuses of different weights is improved, but the production management costs increase
Solution Approach 1:
The support arm apparatus employs adjustable components including a pull rod with adjustable length, a spring mechanism with variable stiffness, and reconfigurable connectors that allow the same apparatus to be dynamically adjusted for different weight ranges. This dynamic adjustability eliminates the need for multiple fixed-configuring apparatus types.
Solution Approach 2:
The apparatus allows changing key parameters such as spring stiffness, pull rod length, and connector positioning to adapt to different weight requirements. By modifying these parameters, a single apparatus design can serve multiple weight categories (7-12kg, 12-18kg, 13.5-21kg) that previously required different apparatus models.
2Adaptability or versatility
If the pull-rod connector is moved closer to the sleeve connector to reduce the support force, then the ability to support lighter medical apparatuses is improved, but the range of movement is limited by interference
Solution Approach 1:
The connector assembly is segmented into separate movable components: the pull rod connector can move independently along the pull rod, and the avoidance structure on the sleeve connector provides discrete clearance zones. This segmentation allows the pull rod connector to achieve closer positioning for reduced support force while the avoidance structure prevents interference, maintaining full range of movement.
3Adaptability or versatility
If the support arm apparatus is designed to support a wide range of weights, then the versatility is improved, but the balance between supporting heavy and light apparatuses becomes difficult to achieve
Solution Approach 1:
The support arm apparatus is designed as a universal system that can reliably support the full weight range (7-21kg) through multiple adjustable parameters. The spring mechanism, pull rod, and connector system work together as an integrated multi-functional system that maintains optimal balance performance across all weight categories, eliminating the need for weight-specific apparatus designs.
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 apparatus can support medical apparatuses of different weights without the need for multiple support arm apparatuses, reducing production costs and allowing for easier adjustment and installation of medical devices.
Implementation Method 1
an elastic part, which includes a pull-rod and a spring-rod part, wherein the spring-rod part is installed inside the sleeve, and configured to provide a balance force to enable the support arm apparatus to support a weight of the medical apparatus
Data Source
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AI summary
A support arm apparatus and a medical device are provided, which include a connection base and a tube including a spring. The connection base includes a first base body, a sleeve connector, and a pull-rod connector which moves towards and away from the sleeve connector during adjustment. The tube includes a sleeve and an elastic part. The elastic part includes a pull-rod and a spring-rod part. A first end of the pull-rod is in rotatable connection with the pull-rod connector about a second axis, a second end of the pull-rod is in rotatable connection with the spring-rod part. The spring-rod part provides a balance force to support a weight of the medical apparatus by the support arm apparatus. The sleeve connector has an avoidance structure for avoiding the pull-rod or the pull-rod connector, to enlarge a movement range of the pull-rod connector and/or a rotation range of the pull-rod.