Supporting device
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing support devices for adjusting the height of shower elements, such as shower trays, face challenges with undesirable rotation during height adjustment, making the process tedious for installers.
Innovation Solution
A support device with a lower foot part, a middle foot part featuring an actuating section, and an upper foot part, where the middle foot part can rotate along its central axis, and an anti-rotation element ensures that the upper and lower foot parts do not twist, allowing for easier height adjustment through longitudinal displacement without rotational movement.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If the middle foot section is rotated to adjust height, then the height adjustment is achieved, but the lower and upper foot sections rotate undesirably making adjustment cumbersome
Solution Approach 1:
The support device is divided into three separate foot sections (lower, middle, upper) that can be adjusted independently. The anti-rotation element is specifically applied to the lower and upper foot sections to prevent them from rotating during adjustment, while allowing the middle foot section to rotate for height adjustment. This segmentation allows each part to have different rotational characteristics.
Solution Approach 2:
The anti-rotation element is pre-installed on the lower and upper foot sections to counteract the undesirable rotational movement before it occurs during the adjustment process. This preliminary anti-action prevents the lower and upper foot sections from rotating when the middle foot section is rotated for height adjustment.
2Adaptability or versatility
If threaded sections are used to transmit adjustment movement, then height adjustment is achieved, but rotational movement is transmitted to elements that should not rotate
Solution Approach 1:
The threaded connection system is segmented into two separate threaded sections: one between the lower and middle foot sections, and another between the upper and middle foot sections. The anti-rotation element is applied to the lower and upper foot sections to decouple their rotational movement from the threaded adjustment mechanism, allowing independent height adjustment without unwanted rotation.
Solution Approach 2:
The anti-rotation element acts as an intermediary between the threaded sections and the lower/upper foot sections. It allows the threaded sections to transmit only the longitudinal adjustment movement while blocking the transmission of rotational movement to the lower and upper foot sections.
3Stability of the object's composition
If the support device is firmly positioned in the room, then stability is improved, but adjustment requires two hands making it less convenient
Solution Approach 1:
The support device is segmented into three adjustable foot sections, with the anti-rotation element specifically applied to the lower and upper sections. This segmentation allows the middle foot section to be rotated for adjustment while the lower and upper sections remain stable and stationary, enabling one-handed adjustment operation.
Solution Approach 2:
The anti-rotation element is pre-installed on the lower and upper foot sections to prevent them from rotating during adjustment. This preliminary anti-action ensures that when the middle foot section is adjusted, only the intended section moves, providing stability to the overall structure while enabling easy one-handed adjustment.
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 simplifies the adjustment process by preventing rotational movement during height adjustment, allowing for one-handed operation and providing a stable, adjustable structure with a telescopic design for large adjustment ranges.
Implementation Method 1
The lower foot part (2) has a lower threaded section (8) opposite the lower support surface (3), which engages with a first threaded section (9) of the middle foot part (4). The upper foot part (6) has an upper threaded section (10) opposite the upper support surface (7), which engages with a second threaded section (11) of the middle foot part (4).
Data Source
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AI summary
A support device (1) for adjusting the height of a shower element and for supporting the shower element comprises a lower foot section (2) with a lower support surface (3), a middle foot section (4) with an actuating section (5), and an upper foot section (6) with an upper support surface (7), wherein the lower foot section (2) has a lower threaded section (8) opposite the lower support surface (3), which engages with a first threaded section (9) of the middle foot section (4), wherein the upper foot section (6) has an upper threaded section (10) opposite the upper support surface (7), which engages with a second threaded section (11) of the middle foot section (4), wherein the middle foot section (4) is rotatable about its central axis (M) via the actuating section (5) along an adjustment movement (E), and wherein the support device (1) further comprises an anti-rotation element (12).which is in rotationally fixed and longitudinally displaceable contact with the lower foot part (2) and which is in rotationally fixed and longitudinally displaceable contact with the upper foot part (6), such that an adjustment movement (E) acting on the middle foot part (4) via the aforementioned threaded sections (8, 9, 10, 11) results in a longitudinal displacement between the lower foot part (2) and the upper foot part (6) along the central axis (M).