Swing-Arm Travel Unit With Enclosed Gear-Chain Wheel Coordination
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional travel units with swing arms and wheels are complex, increasing production costs and maintenance frequency, and are susceptible to external impacts and foreign matter, with limited device layout flexibility due to exposed components and coordinated wheel movement requirements.
Innovation Solution
A travel unit with a rotation transmission unit featuring a swing gear, swing sprocket, transmission gear, and transmission sprocket connected by a coupling shaft, housed in a box-like configuration, allowing independent wheel movement and improved stability through gear ratios and a transmission chain, with a buffer member for impact absorption.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If the change-direction member, tilted members, and cord-like body are used to move wheels in conjunction, then wheel coordination is achieved, but device complexity increases and production cost rises
Solution Approach 1:
The patent merges the functions of the change-direction member, tilted members, and cord-like body into a single integrated rotation transmission unit. The housing contains all transmission components (gears, sprockets, chains) in one compact assembly, eliminating the need for separate coordinated components while maintaining wheel coordination functionality.
2Device complexity
If the change-direction member, tilted members, and cord-like body are exposed, then structural simplicity is maintained, but susceptibility to external impact and foreign matter increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent employs a housing that encloses the transmission components, protecting them from external impacts and foreign matter. The housing acts as a protective shell while allowing the internal components to function, thus shielding vulnerable parts without compromising operational simplicity.
3Reliability
If the change-direction member and tilted members are spaced apart by a predetermined distance, then coordinated movement is ensured, but device layout flexibility decreases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent uses a gear mechanism with a variable transmission ratio that can be adjusted based on the swing arm angle. This dynamic adjustment capability allows the transmission unit to adapt to different layout configurations while maintaining coordinated wheel movement, overcoming the limitation of fixed spacing requirements.
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 configuration simplifies production and maintenance, enhances stability by ensuring equal ground contact for wheels, reduces external influences, and increases layout flexibility by housing components and using an endless chain for efficient wheel movement.
Implementation Method 1
a swing gear configured to rotate in conjunction with swing of one of the swing arms; a swing sprocket configured to rotate in conjunction with swing of the other of the swing arms
Implementation Method 2
a transmission gear meshing with the swing gear to transmit rotation
Implementation Method 3
a transmission sprocket configured to transmit rotation to the swing sprocket via a transmission chain
Data Source
Figure 1~2
Figure 3~4
Figure 5~6
AI summary
An object is to provide a travel unit that can suppress, with a simple configuration, production cost and the frequency of maintenance, mitigate adverse external influences such as impact and foreign matter, and allows a high degree of freedom in the device layout. A travel unit includes a main body, a pair of left and right swing arms provided on a rotation transmission unit in such a manner as to be swingable about a swing shaft, and wheels provided on the swing arms. The rotation transmission unit includes: a swing gear configured to rotate in conjunction with one of the swing arms; a swing sprocket configured to rotate in conjunction with the other swing arm; a transmission gear meshing with the swing gear; and a transmission sprocket configured to transmit rotation to the swing sprocket via a transmission chain. The transmission gear and the transmission sprocket are connected by a coupling shaft, and the swing gear and the swing sprocket are configured to be rotatable in conjunction with each other in mutually opposite directions.