Utility Vault Swing Arm Assembly with Telescoping and Rotating Enclosure
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing swing arm assemblies for utility vaults are difficult to assemble, use, and store, and they do not provide adequate access to components like cable assemblies, especially when located at inconvenient low positions, requiring improved design for easier operation and better access.
Innovation Solution
A swing arm assembly with a latch for hands-free operation, a rotatable enclosure that can rotate at least 45-90 degrees, and a telescoping mechanism that allows for lateral extension or height adjustment, secured by a spring-loaded plunger and slot system for convenient positioning and locking.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Length of moving object
If the enclosure is mounted on a swing arm assembly with telescoping portion, then higher access to the enclosure is achieved, but the assembly becomes difficult to assemble, use, and store
Solution Approach 1:
The swing arm assembly is divided into multiple segments: a fixed arm portion, a rotatable portion connected to the enclosure, and a telescoping portion with inner and outer tubes. This segmentation allows each component to be simpler and easier to manufacture while providing the needed height adjustment capability through coordinated movement of segments.
Solution Approach 2:
The assembly incorporates dynamic elements including a rotatable portion that can rotate 45-90 degrees around an axis, and a telescoping portion that can extend and retract. These dynamic features allow the enclosure to be positioned at various heights and angles, improving accessibility without requiring a permanently complex extended structure.
2Area of stationary object
If the enclosure is positioned at low location in the vault, then space utilization is improved, but technician access and manipulation becomes inconvenient
Solution Approach 1:
The swing arm assembly adds vertical and rotational dimensions to the enclosure positioning. The enclosure can be swung upward from its low storage position in the vault and rotated to bring it into the technician's working zone, effectively moving the enclosure across multiple spatial dimensions to achieve convenient access while maintaining compact vault storage.
Solution Approach 2:
The swing arm assembly acts as an intermediary mechanism between the vault interior and the technician's working space. It provides a mechanical bridge that allows the enclosure to be transferred from the confined vault environment to an accessible position outside the vault, facilitating easy manipulation without requiring the technician to reach into difficult-to-access locations.
3Adaptability or versatility
If the swing arm assembly allows full rotation and telescoping movement, then access flexibility is improved, but control and secure positioning becomes difficult
Solution Approach 1:
The assembly incorporates self-latching mechanisms that automatically engage when the rotatable and telescoping portions are positioned. The spring-loaded plunger with cam surface provides automatic locking without requiring manual intervention, allowing the enclosure to be securely held at various positions while minimizing the control effort needed by the technician.
Solution Approach 2:
The complex control requirements are replaced by mechanical self-regulating features. The spring-loaded plunger and cam surface mechanism automatically provides locking and positioning forces, eliminating the need for complex control systems or continuous manual adjustment to maintain secure positioning at various angles and heights.
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 enables technicians to easily access and manipulate vault components with improved convenience and efficiency, allowing for one-handed operation and secure positioning of the enclosure in various positions, enhancing usability and accessibility.
Implementation Method 1
A swing arm assembly includes a spring-loaded plunger that pushes an outer tube of the telescoping mechanism toward an inner tube
Data Source
AI summary
Swing arm assemblies for providing access to wiring enclosures are described that provide convenient one handed operation and the ability to temporarily fix the enclosure at a telescoped height and optionally in a rotated position.