Support Foot with Foldable Base Sectors for Compact Mobility
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing extendable support feet for structures and machinery are bulky due to the large base area required to distribute high loads, making them cumbersome during positioning and movement.
Innovation Solution
A support foot with a foldable base mechanism that allows sectors to transition between folded and unfolded positions automatically, using a simple mechanical interaction involving an activation element and lever system, enabling compact configuration during movement and expanded configuration for load support.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If a large base area is used to support high loads and distribute weight, then load distribution capability is improved, but the support foot becomes bulky and mobility is reduced
Solution Approach 1:
The base is divided into multiple sectors that can be independently folded or unfolded. When folded, the sectors collapse into a compact configuration reducing radial dimensions; when unfolded, they form a large support surface area for load distribution. This segmentation allows the base to transition between compact and expanded states.
Solution Approach 2:
The base sectors are made dynamically configurable through a folding mechanism that allows transition between fixed and folded positions. The sectors can be automatically positioned using a simple mechanical interaction system with activation elements and lever systems, enabling the base to adapt its configuration based on operational requirements.
2Reliability
If a large base area is used to support high loads, then weight distribution is improved, but the radial dimensions become excessive during positioning and movement
Solution Approach 1:
The foldable base sectors are designed to nest within each other when in the folded position, similar to a nested doll structure. This nesting arrangement minimizes the radial volume occupied by the base during movement and positioning, while still providing a large effective support area when unfolded for load bearing.
Solution Approach 2:
The base structure utilizes dimensional transformation by folding sectors along rotational axes, converting a two-dimensional surface area into a three-dimensional compact form. This allows the base to maintain large weight distribution capability when deployed while minimizing radial footprint during movement through folding along the longitudinal axis.
3Ease of manufacture
If a simple and rational solution is used to reduce cost, then manufacturing cost is reduced, but the mechanism for automatic sector positioning may become insufficiently reliable
Solution Approach 1:
The sector positioning mechanism operates automatically through self-service action, where the activation element and lever system utilize the existing movement of the support foot extension to automatically position the sectors. The mechanical interaction between components creates automatic positioning without requiring additional power sources or complex control systems, reducing manufacturing cost while 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
The solution allows for a compact and stable support configuration that can be easily automated, reducing bulkiness and enhancing mobility while maintaining adequate load distribution, thus addressing the bulkiness and mobility issues of traditional support feet.
Implementation Method 1
the arm with the respective sector defining an advantageous first order lever about its own axis of rotation
Data Source
Figure 1
Figure 2~3
Figure 4A
AI summary
A support foot (10) comprises: a first body (20), which is tubular, provided with a first longitudinal axis, and a support base (30) associated in proximity to an end (21) of the first body (20). The base (30) comprises a plurality of sectors (40) rotatably associated with the first body (20), relative to a respective axis of rotation (C) orthogonal to the first longitudinal axis (A), between an unfolded position, in which a support face (411) of such sectors (40) lies on a plane (P) of distribution of the weight of the base (30) substantially orthogonal to the first longitudinal axis (A), and a folded position. Each sector (40) is reclined on a portion of the first body (20) with the support face (411) thereof inclined relative to the plane (P). Furthermore, the support foot (10) comprises an activation element (50) adapted to interact with the sectors (40) for activating them in rotation about the respective axis of rotation (C) between the unfolded position and the folded position.