Top-Adjusting Leveling Foot With Threaded Axial Adjustment
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Solution Overview
Problem
Multi-legged objects such as tables and chairs often wobble due to uneven surfaces, with temporary solutions like paper or magazines being unsightly and ineffective.
Innovation Solution
A top-adjusting leveling foot that can axially advance or retract the surface-contact point of a leg, featuring a rotating adjustment knob, threaded bushing, and drive stud assembly for easy installation and leveling, allowing for pre-installation or retrofitting onto existing legs.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If a top-adjusting leveling foot mechanism is added to enable axial adjustment of the foot, then the ability to level the object is improved, but the device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The drive stud assembly is nested within the adjustment knob base, with the threaded lower bar portion extending through the adjustment knob. The foot is attached to the lower end of the threaded bar, creating a compact nested structure where multiple functional elements are housed within each other to minimize overall complexity while maintaining adjustment functionality.
Solution Approach 2:
The threaded bushing acts as an intermediary element between the rotationally adjustable drive stud assembly and the adjustment knob base. The bushing converts rotational motion of the drive stud into axial movement of the foot, providing a simple mechanical mediation that achieves leveling without complex mechanisms.
2Ease of operation
If a threaded bushing and drive stud assembly are used for adjustment, then the ease of operation is improved, but the manufacturing complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The leveling foot is divided into separate functional segments: the adjustment knob with non-circular opening for user interaction, the threaded bushing for motion conversion, the drive stud assembly for axial movement, and the foot for ground contact. This segmentation allows each component to be manufactured independently using standard machining operations, simplifying production while maintaining operational ease.
Solution Approach 2:
The threaded bushing serves multiple functions: it acts as a bearing surface for the drive stud, provides threaded engagement for axial adjustment, and serves as a structural connector between the adjustment knob base and the drive mechanism. This multi-functionality reduces the total number of parts needed, simplifying manufacturing while maintaining ease of operation.
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
Provides stable and level positioning of multi-legged objects on irregular surfaces, eliminating wobbling and allowing for quick setup and adjustment, suitable for various applications including furniture, laboratory, and military equipment.
Implementation Method 1
A threaded bushing includes a partially threaded interior passage and a top annular flange which is held within a bottom cavity of the adjustment knob base by a retaining ring
Data Source
AI summary
A top-adjusting leveling foot for installation on the leg of an object has an adjustment knob, an adjustment knob base with a bottom cavity and a non-circular passage extending axially through the center of the adjustment knob base, a threaded bushing with a top annular flange held within the bottom cavity of the adjustment knob base, and a drive stud assembly including a foot and a drive bar that has a lower threaded portion for engaging a partially threaded interior passage of the threaded bushing, and an upper bar portion sized and configured for engagement with the non-circular passage through the adjustment knob base. Rotation of the adjustment knob in a first direction axially advances the drive bar and lowers the foot and rotation of the adjustment knob in the opposite direction axially retracts the drive bar and raises the foot.