Elevator – industrial lift truck – or stationary lift for vehicle – Stationary lift for roadway vehicle or required component... – Having specific drive means for support
Patent
1987-12-01
1990-05-08
Rolla, Joseph J.
Elevator, industrial lift truck, or stationary lift for vehicle
Stationary lift for roadway vehicle or required component...
Having specific drive means for support
414281, 901 16, B66B 900
Patent
active
049230530
DESCRIPTION:
BRIEF SUMMARY
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
This invention relates generally to apparatus and methods for supporting and guiding an elongated flexible member between relatively movable termination points, such as, for example, a flexible cable connected between points on a stationary frame and a component movable with respect to the frame. More particularly, this invention relates to a mounting assembly designed for supporting and guiding an elongated flexible member such as a cable throughout relatively rapid movements including directional changes and related accelerations with minimal mechanical stresses or frictional wear to ensure long term reliability.
In the past, many different mechanical and electromechanical devices have included relatively movable components requiring some type of elongated flexible member such as a cable or like interconnection between the components. For example, many such devices have required an electrical conductor cable to be connected between relatively movable structures for purposes of supplying electrical power and/or a variety of electrical control signals. Other such devices have required pneumatic or hydraulic tubing connections or other types of flexible connections between, for example, a main stationary frame and a movable component of a machine. In each instance, the flexible interconnection must be designed to supply the movable component with the appropriate electrical signal, fluid, or similar input while exhibiting sufficient flexibility to accommodate the direction, range, and speed of motion of the movable component. However, when the movable component is designed for relatively rapid and/or multidirectional movements, particularly with frequent and rapid accelerations and decelerations, available flexible connectors have not provided satisfactory fatigue life and resistance to mechanical wear.
More particularly, by way of one specific example, video cassette storage and playback systems have been proposed for use by television broadcast stations for automated transfer of video cassettes between a storage library and playback equipment, thereby permitting automated or semi-automated station operation with selected prerecorded programs or commercial messages being played according to a timed, preprogrammed sequence. In such systems, a mobile carriage including a cassette pick-up and release unit is transported by a multidirectional transfer mechanism back and forth, for example, within a X-Y plane, between the storage library and the playback equipment to select, transfer, play and return to the library selected cassettes. The pick-up unit includes appropriate movable components for engaging and releasing the cassettes in accordance with various commands communicated thereto via a multiple conductor flexible cable. However, when the system is designed for rapid displacements of the pick-up unit to meet the cassette changeover timing demands of a modern broadcast station, the flexible cable can be subjected to significant mechanical loads and/or sliding friction resulting in premature cable failure. This is particularly true in the event the cable is freely suspended between two relatively movable components, wherein high accelerations and decelerations create the relative movement which thrashes the cable about, resulting in cable damage.
In the past, a variety of flexible conductor cable designs have been proposed in attempts to increase cable life span while permitting sufficient freedom of cable motion to track the moving component or components. For example, spirally coiled conductor cables have been commonly used, but such cables tend to flap about when subjected to rapid accelerations and/or directional changes. Attempts to constrain a spirally coiled cable against flapping have met with little success due to increased frictional wear as the cable slides relative to the constraining apparatus. Other designs have utilized spring-loaded arrangements to apply a constant spring tension to a multiconductor flat ribbon cable throughout various cable movements, but these d
REFERENCES:
patent: 3840131 (1974-10-01), Castaldi
patent: 4534006 (1985-08-01), Minucciani et al.
patent: 4820109 (1987-04-01), Witt
Ampex Corporation
Lange Richard P.
Noland Kenneth
Rolla Joseph J.
Thibault Harry G.
LandOfFree
Flexible member mounting assembly does not yet have a rating. At this time, there are no reviews or comments for this patent.
If you have personal experience with Flexible member mounting assembly, we encourage you to share that experience with our LandOfFree.com community. Your opinion is very important and Flexible member mounting assembly will most certainly appreciate the feedback.
Profile ID: LFUS-PAI-O-2343588