Trolley Steering Mechanism With Separate Transmission Belts
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Solution Overview
Problem
Industrial transport trolleys face challenges in maneuverability and stress reduction, particularly during manual operation, due to harsh environments and the need for precise movement paths, which existing designs fail to address effectively.
Innovation Solution
A transport trolley design featuring steerable front and rear wheels with idle wheels and a tiller mechanism, utilizing separate transmission belts connected through an inversion mechanism to minimize rotation stress and allow easy alignment without large spaces, along with automatic tensioning systems to maintain optimal belt tension.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If the trolley uses conventional steering mechanisms, then it can be steered, but it requires large spaces for alignment maneuvers and produces high rotation stresses
Solution Approach 1:
Instead of rotating the entire trolley body for steering, the patent inverts the approach by keeping the trolley body straight and rotating only the wheels. The wheels are mounted on pivoting axles that can rotate independently, allowing the trolley to change direction without body rotation, thereby eliminating high rotation stresses and the need for large maneuvering spaces.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent segments the steering function from the trolley body by making the wheels independently pivotable on their axles. This segmentation allows each wheel to be steered independently while the trolley body remains stable and straight, reducing overall rotation stress and improving maneuverability in tight spaces.
2Productivity
If the trolley is designed for mechanized towing with longitudinal advancement, then it achieves efficient transport, but it lacks ease of manual maneuvering in tight spaces
Solution Approach 1:
The patent incorporates dynamic steering capabilities where the wheels can pivot on their axles, allowing the trolley to adapt to different operating conditions. During mechanized towing, the wheels maintain longitudinal alignment for efficient transport. During manual maneuvering, the wheels can be easily rotated by hand to navigate tight spaces, providing dynamic adaptability between different operational modes.
3Device complexity
If the trolley uses a single transmission belt for both steering wheels, then the structure is simpler, but the belt intersections cause wear and misalignment issues
Solution Approach 1:
The patent segments the transmission system by using separate transmission belts for each steering wheel instead of a single shared belt. This eliminates belt intersections and the associated wear and misalignment problems. Each belt independently drives its corresponding wheel, improving reliability while maintaining reasonable structural complexity.
Data Source
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AI summary
Transport trolley (4) comprising a frame (8) that extends from a front portion (12) to a rear portion (16), along a prevailing longitudinal direction (X-X), the front portion (12) being provided with front steering wheel (20), an idle front wheel (24), and a tiller (28), the rear portion (16) being provided with a rear steering wheel (36) and a rear idle wheel (40), in which the front and rear steering wheels (20,36) are arranged on the same side of the trolley (4). The trolley (4) comprises transmission means (44) that kinematically connect the tiller (28) with said front and rear steering wheels (20,36). The transmission means (44) comprise a front belt or chain (48) kinematically connected with the tiller (28) and with the front steering wheel (20), and a rear belt of chain ( 52 ) kinematically connected with the rear steering wheel (36), wherein said front and rear belts or chains (48, 52) are mechanically separated from each other and kinematically connected through the interposition of inversion of motion means (56).