Weight Plate Alignment Cradle for Selector Shaft Insertion
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Solution Overview
Problem
Adjustable free weight assemblies face alignment issues with weight plates and selector shafts, leading to obstructed operation when plates or openings are misaligned, affecting the selection mechanism's functionality.
Innovation Solution
A cradle design that supports the free weight assembly in a cradled position, with end and side walls that engage the weight plates to align them vertically and horizontally, ensuring concentric central openings for the selector shafts, preventing movement and ensuring consistent alignment.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If weight plates are selectively secured to a handle using a selector shaft mechanism, then weight selection capability is improved, but alignment between weight plate openings and selector shaft becomes problematic causing obstructed operation
Solution Approach 1:
The cradle pre-aligns the weight plates and their openings with the selector shaft before the user attempts to operate the selection mechanism. The angled surfaces of the cradle engage the weight plates and force them into the correct concentric alignment, so that when the user inserts the selector shaft, the openings are already properly positioned to receive it without obstruction.
2Adaptability or versatility
If multiple weight plates are stacked in a holder, then weight assembly versatility is improved, but misalignment of plates leads to operational obstruction
Solution Approach 1:
The cradle applies localized alignment forces at specific contact points on the weight plates through its angled surfaces. Rather than requiring uniform alignment throughout the entire stack, the cradle's geometry creates specific engagement zones that force each plate into the correct position relative to the selector shaft, ensuring reliable concentric alignment.
3Adaptability or versatility
If the selector shaft is extended to capture additional weight plates, then weight selection range is improved, but misaligned openings obstruct the mechanism
Solution Approach 1:
The cradle acts as an intermediary device between the weight plates and the selector shaft mechanism. It provides a stable alignment reference frame that ensures the openings in the weight plates are properly positioned to receive the selector shaft, thereby simplifying the overall system by eliminating the need for complex self-aligning features in the selector shaft itself.
Data Source
AI summary
A cradle for supporting an adjustable free weight assembly that includes first and second weight plate sets. End walls and side walls of the cradle define a cavity sized to receive the free weight assembly. The end walls engage plate portions and locking element portions of outermost weight plates of the free weight assembly when received in the cradle. Inboard surfaces of the side walls engage portions of weight plates in at least the first weight plate set to substantially inhibit the first weight plate set from moving vertically or laterally between the side walls. The configuration of the inboard surfaces of the side walls aligns the weight plates in the first weight plate set both vertically and horizontally so that central openings in the weight plates for receiving a selector shaft are substantially concentric.