Telescopic Shaft Washing Nozzles for Friction Control

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Solution Overview

Problem

The existing telescopic shafts face issues with maintaining the friction coefficient between movable telescopic elements, leading to uncontrolled movement and potential damage due to incorrect or infrequent maintenance, which results in undesired variations in the closing sequence and potential falling of free telescopic elements.

Innovation Solution

A washing system that uses nozzles to deliver a washing liquid under pressure onto the external surfaces of movable telescopic elements, with a drain duct to collect and remove the liquid, ensuring effective cleaning and maintenance of the telescopic shaft during its movement between extended and retracted positions.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Reliability

If frequent manual washing and greasing is performed to maintain friction coefficient, then reliability of telescopic shaft movement is improved, but loss of time and productivity deteriorate due to frequent maintenance interruptions

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvereliability of telescopic shaft movementVSAvoidmaintenance time
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSLoss of time

Solution Approach 1:

The washing system is integrated into the telescopic shaft structure itself, with nozzles positioned to automatically wash the telescopic elements during normal operation. The system uses the shaft's own movement to enable cleaning, eliminating the need for separate manual maintenance operations and allowing the system to maintain itself during regular use cycles.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #25Self-service

Solution Approach 2:

The washing system cleans the telescopic elements before friction and contamination can significantly affect performance. By continuously or periodically washing during operation, the system prevents buildup of contaminants that would otherwise require frequent manual intervention, maintaining optimal friction coefficients proactively rather than reactively.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #10Preliminary action

2Productivity

If manual maintenance is performed less frequently to improve productivity, then loss of time is reduced, but reliability deteriorates due to variable friction and uncontrolled closing sequence

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveproductivity of telescopic shaft operationVSAvoidreliability of closing sequence
Core Design Contradiction:
ProductivityVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

The washing system operates continuously or periodically during the telescopic shaft's normal operation cycles, maintaining constant cleanliness of the telescopic elements. This continuous cleaning action ensures that friction coefficients remain within acceptable ranges throughout extended operation periods, eliminating the need for frequent manual maintenance interruptions while guaranteeing reliable operation.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #20Continuity of useful action

Solution Approach 2:

The system maintains itself automatically during normal operation, with the washing mechanism integrated into the telescopic shaft structure. This self-maintaining capability allows continuous productivity without manual intervention while ensuring reliability through consistent cleaning that prevents friction variation and maintains proper closing sequence control.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #25Self-service

3Device complexity

If the telescopic shaft structure is simplified without integrated washing system, then device complexity is reduced, but ease of operation deteriorates due to difficult access for manual maintenance

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvecomplexity of telescopic shaft structureVSAvoidease of maintenance
Core Design Contradiction:
Device complexityVSEase of operation

Solution Approach 1:

The washing system is merged with the telescopic shaft structure itself, with nozzles and fluid delivery channels integrated into the existing telescopic elements. This combination eliminates the need for separate external washing equipment and complex access mechanisms, maintaining structural simplicity while enabling easy automated maintenance during normal operation.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #5Merging (Combining)

Solution Approach 2:

The telescopic shaft structure serves its own maintenance needs through integrated washing nozzles that are part of the shaft assembly. The system uses its own operational movement to enable cleaning, eliminating the need for external maintenance equipment and complex access systems, thereby maintaining structural simplicity while greatly improving ease of maintenance.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #25Self-service

4Manufacturing precision

If washing liquid is delivered at high pressure to effectively clean surfaces, then purity of telescopic element surfaces is improved, but loss of energy increases due to high pressure fluid delivery

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvepurity of telescopic element surfacesVSAvoidenergy for fluid delivery
Core Design Contradiction:
Manufacturing precisionVSLoss of energy

Solution Approach 1:

The washing system delivers fluid in periodic pulses or cycles rather than continuous high-pressure flow. Cleaning occurs during specific phases of the telescopic shaft's operation when surfaces are most accessible, using brief high-pressure pulses to remove contaminants effectively. This periodic action maintains surface purity while significantly reducing overall energy consumption compared to continuous high-pressure delivery.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #19Periodic action

Solution Approach 2:

The system applies washing fluid only to the specific portions of telescopic elements that require cleaning, rather than uniformly treating entire surfaces. High-pressure delivery is concentrated on critical friction surfaces where contamination most affects performance, using partial action to achieve sufficient purity while minimizing the total energy required for fluid delivery across the entire system.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #16Partial or excessive action

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 washing system effectively maintains the friction coefficient within a pre-established range, ensuring correct and efficient movement of the telescopic shaft by removing dirt and debris, thereby preventing damage and malfunction.

Implementation Method 1

nozzles (15) which are directed towards a central axis (3) of the telescopic shaft (2) for delivering jets of washing liquid under pressure against an outer surface of the telescopic elements (5, 6, 7) included in the telescopic shaft (2)

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectFluid pressure: Pressure Increase

Implementation Method 2

a drain duct (18) through which to drain the washing liquid, wherein the drain duct (18) is positioned below the nozzles (15) along the central axis (3) to collect, by fall, the washing liquid dispensed by the nozzles (15)

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectGravity: Gravitation

Data Source

PatentEP4306228A1Washing system for a telescopic shaft
Publication Date: 2024.01.17 ADVANCED MECHANICAL SOLUTIONS SRL
  • EP4306228A1 patent drawingFigure 1~2
  • EP4306228A1 patent drawingFigure 3~4
  • EP4306228A1 patent drawingFigure 5~6

AI summary

A washing system (1) configured for washing an external surface of one or more telescopic elements that make up a telescopic shaft (2) to which the washing system (1) can be connected, in which such washing system (1) comprises nozzles (15) through which to deliver a washing liquid under pressure which, in turn, are directed towards a central axis (3) of the telescopic shaft (2) to uniformly deliver jets of washing liquid against a surface exterior of each of the one or more telescopic elements included in the telescopic shaft (2), during their movement between an extracted or retracted position.