Power Transfer Unit With Telescoping Tubular Assembly

Resolve Bottlenecks,
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions

Solution Overview

Problem

Conventional power transfer units require precise alignment of door and frame housings to function correctly, leading to issues like premature wear and interference when installation is off-center, and expose wiring to damage and tampering.

Innovation Solution

A tubular assembly with encapsulated elbow hinges and a telescoping design that allows for off-center installation and secure wiring protection, featuring a crimped and flared telescoping section to prevent detachment and act as a doorstop, ensuring secure and discreet power or signal transfer.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Reliability

If conventional power transfer units are used with precise alignment requirements, then wiring protection and power transfer are achieved, but installation complexity increases and premature wear occurs when misaligned

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvewiring protectionVSAvoidinstallation alignment

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSEase of operation

Solution Approach 1:

The power transfer unit incorporates adjustable alignment parameters through telescoping tubular assemblies that can extend and retract, and elbow hinges that can pivot to compensate for misalignment. This allows the unit to adapt to installation variations without requiring precise centering, thereby maintaining wiring protection while easing installation requirements

Inventive Principle:

Principle #35Parameter changes

Solution Approach 2:

The design transforms the rigid, fixed-geometry conventional power transfer unit into a dynamic system with telescoping sections and articulated elbow hinges. These movable components allow the unit to adjust its configuration in real-time to accommodate alignment variations, preventing premature wear while maintaining protective enclosure of the wiring

Inventive Principle:

Principle #15Dynamics

2Adaptability or versatility

If wiring extends across the gap between door and frame, then power transfer is enabled, but wiring is exposed to damage and tampering

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvepower transfer capabilityVSAvoidwiring vulnerability

Core Design Contradiction:

Adaptability or versatilityVSObject-affected harmful factors

Solution Approach 1:

The wiring is nested within a protective tubular assembly that consists of an outer tube and an inner telescoping tube. This nested structure provides continuous protective enclosure for the wiring throughout the door's range of motion, preventing exposure to damage and tampering while maintaining the power transfer capability through the movable assembly

Inventive Principle:

Principle #7Nested doll (Nesting)

3Adaptability or versatility

If telescoping tubular assembly with elbow hinges is used, then alignment tolerance is improved, but device complexity increases

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvealignment toleranceVSAvoidassembly structure

Core Design Contradiction:

Adaptability or versatilityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The power transfer unit is segmented into modular components including outer tubular assemblies, inner telescoping tubular assemblies, and separate elbow hinge components. This segmentation allows each component to be optimized independently for its specific function while providing alignment tolerance through the coordinated operation of telescoping and articulating sections, managing complexity through modularity

Inventive Principle:

Principle #1Segmentation

Data Source

PatentUS9825443B2Power transfer unit

Publication Date: 2017.11.21 ARCHITECTURAL BUILDERS HARDWARE MANUFACTURING INC

AI summary

A power transfer unit is disclosed. In a first implementation of the disclosed power transfer unit, a tubular assembly of the power transfer unit includes an encapsulated elbow hinge design with a reduced profile that permits substantially off-center installation of the housings of the power transfer unit. In a second implementation of the disclosed power transfer unit, the tubular assembly includes an inverted, telescoping tubing design that does not come apart during installation and use, and in some implementations may act as a stop for a closable member.