Support Structure Cover with Gas Spring and Latch
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing support structures, such as gantries in medical imaging systems, pose challenges in providing easy and safe access to internal components for maintenance and adjustments due to their large and heavy nature, necessitating improved mechanisms for cover manipulation.
Innovation Solution
A system with a cover that utilizes a hinge for pivotal movement, supported by a primary mechanism like a gas spring and an additional mechanism like a spring pin, allowing for easy opening and secure holding in place, enabling safe and efficient access to internal components.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If the cover is made heavy and large to protect internal components, then protection and safety are improved, but ease of manipulation and access are worsened
Solution Approach 1:
A gas spring mechanism is attached between the cover and support structure to provide upward force counteracting the weight of the cover. This allows the heavy cover to be easily raised and held in an open position without requiring manual support, resolving the contradiction between protection (heavy cover) and ease of manipulation (gas spring assistance).
Solution Approach 2:
A latch mechanism acts as an intermediary between the cover and support structure, automatically engaging to hold the cover in the open position. This mediator allows the heavy cover to remain stably open without continuous manual effort, while still providing full protection when closed.
2Object-affected harmful factors
If the cover is made heavy and large to ensure safety, then safety is improved, but the number of service personnel required is increased
Solution Approach 1:
The gas spring provides mechanical assistance to counteract the cover's weight, enabling a single service person to safely manipulate the heavy cover without requiring multiple personnel for support, thus maintaining safety while improving productivity.
Solution Approach 2:
The latch mechanism automatically engages and disengages based on cover position, providing self-service functionality that reduces the need for manual intervention and multiple service personnel while maintaining safe operation.
3Reliability
If the cover is made large to cover most of the side, then protection is improved, but ease of access to internal components is worsened
Solution Approach 1:
The gas spring enables the large protective cover to be easily raised to a fully open position where it extends horizontally outward, providing both comprehensive protection when closed and excellent access to internal components when open, resolving the contradiction between protection and ease of repair.
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 solution facilitates faster and safer access to internal components, reducing the need for multiple service personnel and enhancing usability by allowing easy manipulation of covers, thus improving maintenance efficiency.
Implementation Method 1
at least one primary support mechanism attached to the hinge and support structure to support the weight of the cover when it is open position... the primary support mechanism may be a spring... the primary support mechanism is a gas spring
Implementation Method 2
at least one hinge attached to the support structure and cover to allow the cover pivotal movement with respect to the support structure
Data Source
AI summary
A support structure is disclosed. The support structure has at least one cover installed to cover a side of the support structure. The cover is raised pivotally by at least one primary support mechanism. The cover may be secured in place by an additional support mechanism. The additional support mechanism may be set in two different positions, one that allows for load on the primary support mechanism and another that does not allow for load on the primary support mechanism.