Dual-Element Device Foot for Stable Use and Tilted Sliding
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Solution Overview
Problem
Desktop devices, especially larger and heavier ones, are ergonomically challenging to lift and position, and existing solutions either lose resistance to slipping or require additional brakes when using rollers, making it difficult to displace them easily on a supporting surface.
Innovation Solution
A desktop device with a dual-foot mechanism where one foot element has a high friction contact area for stability and a second element with lower friction for easy sliding, allowing the device to be tilted into a transport state with reduced force expenditure, eliminating the need for additional anti-slip elements.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If rollers or similar elements are used to reduce friction, then the device can be displaced more easily, but the resistance to slipping or change in position is completely lost
Solution Approach 1:
The device foot is designed with two elements that can dynamically switch contact states based on device orientation. In operating position, the first element contacts the supporting surface providing high friction for stability. When tilted for transport, the second element contacts the surface providing low friction for easy displacement. This dynamic switching resolves the contradiction between stability and ease of displacement.
Solution Approach 2:
Different regions of the device foot have different friction properties. The first element has a contact area designed for high friction (anti-slip), while the second element has a contact area designed for low friction (sliding). This local differentiation allows the device to exhibit different friction characteristics at different operational states, simultaneously achieving both stability during operation and ease of displacement during transport.
2Stability of the object's composition
If additional brakes are provided to maintain position, then the resistance to slipping is improved, but the device complexity increases due to additional functional elements
Solution Approach 1:
The device foot structure serves multiple functions without requiring separate components. The dual-element foot provides both stability (through high-friction first element) and ease of displacement (through low-friction second element) within a single integrated structure. This eliminates the need for additional brakes or anti-slip elements, reducing device complexity while maintaining both stability and mobility capabilities.
Solution Approach 2:
The device automatically adjusts its friction characteristics based on its orientation state without requiring external control mechanisms. When placed on the supporting surface, the first element naturally contacts the surface providing stability. When tilted for transport, the second element naturally contacts the surface providing easy sliding. This self-adjusting mechanism eliminates the need for additional functional elements like brakes.
3Ease of operation
If the device is fully lifted for displacement, then the position can be changed, but the force expenditure increases significantly for larger and heavier devices
Solution Approach 1:
Instead of requiring full lifting for displacement, the system dynamically switches the contact element based on orientation. The device can be tilted and slid using the low-friction second element, requiring significantly less force than complete lifting. This dynamic approach transforms the displacement mechanism from vertical lifting to tilted sliding, reducing force expenditure for heavy devices.
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
Enables easy and ergonomic displacement and positioning of desktop devices by tilting, reducing the force required and maintaining slip resistance in the operating position while facilitating sliding in the transport state.
Implementation Method 1
the contact area of the second element has a lower frictional resistance (in particular a lower sliding friction or static friction) relative to the supporting surface than the contact area of the first element
Data Source
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AI summary
The disclosure relates to a device (1) comprising at least one first device foot (100). It is provided here that the at least one first device foot (100) comprises a first element (101) and a second element (102), wherein the device (1) can be arranged on the supporting surface (U) in an operating position, such that a contact area (101a) of the first element (101) contacts the supporting surface (U), and wherein the device (1) can be tilted, starting from the operating position, into a transport state, in which a contact area (102a) of the second element (102) of the at least one device foot (100) contacts the supporting surface (U) and spaces the first element (101) from the supporting surface (U), and wherein the contact area (102a) of the second element (102) has a lower frictional resistance than the contact area (101a) of the first element (101).