Wheel Adapter Plate for Mobile Lift Track Width Adjustment
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Solution Overview
Problem
Traditional lift devices with wide track widths for stability cannot fit into standard ISO containers for shipping due to increased costs and weight when counterweights are increased or specialized shipping wheels are used.
Innovation Solution
A lift device with a wheel assembly and adapter plate that can be reconfigured to reduce track width, allowing the device to fit within ISO containers without increasing counterweight or using specialized shipping wheels, by utilizing an adapter plate that engages differently with the wheel assembly in operating and storage configurations.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Weight of stationary object
If the track width is reduced to fit standard ISO containers, then shipping cost and weight are reduced, but operational stability deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The wheel assembly is designed to be dynamically reconfigurable between two track width configurations. The adapter plate can be positioned in different orientations relative to the wheel assembly, allowing the lift device to switch between a wide track width for operational stability and a narrow track width for shipping. This dynamic adaptability resolves the contradiction by enabling the system to optimize for stability during operation and for weight/cost during shipping.
2Volume of moving object
If specialized shipping wheels are used to reduce track width, then the device fits in ISO containers, but device complexity and cost increase
Solution Approach 1:
The adapter plate serves multiple functions: it connects the wheel assembly to the lift device frame, and it enables reconfiguration of the track width by being positioned in different orientations. This single component performs both structural support and dimensional adjustment functions, eliminating the need for separate specialized shipping wheels. The universal design reduces device complexity while achieving the shipping volume reduction needed to fit ISO containers.
3Stability of the object's composition
If counterweight is increased to maintain stability with reduced track width, then operational stability is maintained, but weight and cost increase
Solution Approach 1:
The adapter plate is pre-configured with mounting features that allow it to be positioned in different orientations before the wheel assembly is fully installed. By preliminarily setting the adapter plate orientation, the track width can be adjusted to the optimal wide configuration for stability before final assembly, eliminating the need for additional counterweight. This preliminary configuration action maintains stability while avoiding the weight and cost of added counterweight components.
Data Source
AI summary
A lift device includes a wheel assembly coupled to a frame. The wheel assembly includes a rim having an inner barrel, an outer barrel, and a lip defining a first surface and a second surface. The lift device also includes an adapter plate and an axle having a first end coupled to the frame and a second end including a hub. The adapter plate includes a barrel portion defining a first face and a second face, a hub portion directly coupled to the hub, and a transition portion extending between the barrel portion and the hub portion. The second surface of the lip engages the first face of the barrel portion when the wheel assembly is in a first configuration and the second face of the barrel portion when the wheel assembly is in a second configuration thereby reducing a track width of the lift device.