Reliable Cable Adjustment with Spring-Loaded Locking Mechanism
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Summary
Problems
Existing adjustment devices for Bowden cables in bicycles lack a cost-effective and reliable mechanism to securely adjust cable length under load, often requiring complex locking mechanisms that provide limited torsional fixing and small latching strokes.
Innovation solutions
A ring-shaped spring element with inwardly directed, parallel legs is snapped onto a housing extension, providing a large latching stroke and stable fixation, while the design allows for adjustable spring rate and tactile feedback during adjustment.
TRIZ Analysis
Specific contradictions:
General conflict description:
Principle concept:
If a traditional locking mechanism with a long fixing leg and small effective radius is used, then the adjustment element can be secured against twisting, but only relatively small forces are available for torsional fixing and the latching stroke is limited
Why choose this principle:
The patent transitions from a linear fixing leg arrangement to a radially extending finger arrangement on a rotatable locking element. This dimensional change allows the locking mechanism to operate in the rotational dimension rather than linear displacement, enabling a large latching stroke while maintaining reliable torsional fixing through the radial fingers engaging with the adjustment element's locking contour.
Principle concept:
If a traditional locking mechanism with a long fixing leg and small effective radius is used, then the adjustment element can be secured against twisting, but only relatively small forces are available for torsional fixing and the latching stroke is limited
Why choose this principle:
The locking element is designed to be rotatable relative to the housing, transforming the static locking mechanism into a dynamic one. The spring element provides continuous rotational force to drive the locking element, allowing the fingers to sequentially engage different positions on the adjustment element's locking contour, thereby achieving both large stroke and reliable fixation.
Application Domain
Data Source
AI summary:
A ring-shaped spring element with inwardly directed, parallel legs is snapped onto a housing extension, providing a large latching stroke and stable fixation, while the design allows for adjustable spring rate and tactile feedback during adjustment.
Abstract
The adjusting device (1) has a catching mechanism. The adjusting device supports a ring shaped spring element (2) at a fixing component, and is equipped with a fixing journal (5) that directed inward. The fixing journal attaches the adjusting device under pre-stressing at a catching contour (8) to fix the actual adjusting position.