Automatic locking mechanism

Abstract

The present application relates to an automatic locking mechanism, comprising: an inner sleeve having a circumferential first lateral opening; an outer sleeve rotatably sleeved on the inner sleeve and having a circumferential second lateral opening, the outer sleeve having a first position in which the second lateral opening is aligned with the first lateral opening and a second position in which the second lateral opening is away from the first lateral opening; a first reset biasing member applying a biasing force to the outer sleeve to reset towards the second position; a first locking portion comprising a first lock cylinder mounted on the inner sleeve and a first lock stopper mounted on the outer sleeve, when the outer sleeve is in the first position and no material is placed in the inner sleeve, the first lock cylinder is locked with the first lock stopper and prevents the outer sleeve from returning to the second position; a second locking portion comprising a second lock cylinder mounted on the inner sleeve and linked with the first lock cylinder and a second lock stopper mounted on the outer sleeve, when the outer sleeve is in the first position and material is placed in the inner sleeve, the second lock cylinder is locked with the second lock stopper and prevents the outer sleeve from returning to the second position.

Description

Automatic locking mechanism Technical Field

[0001] This invention relates to a material securing device, and more particularly to an automatic locking mechanism. Background Technology

[0002] Efficiently and safely adding material rollers to equipment such as printing presses is a key research area in the industry. The ideal is for operators to secure the material rollers with minimal movement. Currently known material roller fastening mechanisms cannot automate the fastening process, requiring manual operation. This undoubtedly reduces the operating efficiency of the equipment and increases the risk of safety hazards such as hand entrapment. Summary of the Invention

[0003] The present invention aims to provide an automatic locking mechanism that can at least solve some of the above-mentioned technical problems.

[0004] According to one aspect of the present invention, an automatic locking mechanism is provided, comprising: an inner sleeve having a first lateral opening in a circumferential direction; an outer sleeve rotatably fitted onto the inner sleeve and having a second lateral opening in a circumferential direction, wherein the outer sleeve is rotatable to a first position where the second lateral opening aligns with the first lateral opening, and a second position where the second lateral opening faces away from the first lateral opening; a first reset biasing member abutting between the inner sleeve and the outer sleeve and applying a biasing force to the outer sleeve to return it to the second position; a first locking portion including a first lock cylinder mounted on the inner sleeve and a first locking member mounted on the outer sleeve, wherein the first locking portion is configured such that when the outer sleeve is in the first position and no material is placed in the inner sleeve, the first lock cylinder engages with the first locking member and prevents the outer sleeve from returning to the second position; and a second locking portion including a second lock cylinder mounted on the inner sleeve and linked to the first lock cylinder and a second locking member mounted on the outer sleeve, wherein the second locking portion is configured such that when the outer sleeve is in the first position and material is placed in the inner sleeve, the second lock cylinder engages with the second locking member and prevents the outer sleeve from returning to the second position.

[0005] According to the automatic locking mechanism provided in this solution, operators only need to manually adjust the rotation angle of the outer sleeve to align the side opening of the outer sleeve with the side opening of the inner sleeve. This allows for automatic locking of the material after it is placed inside. The locking process requires no human intervention, effectively improving the efficiency and safety of material feeding.

[0006] In some embodiments, the inner sleeve is provided with a rotatable connecting rod, and the connecting rod has long grooves extending along the length direction of the connecting rod on opposite sides of the rotation axis. The first lock cylinder and the second lock cylinder are rotatably disposed in the corresponding long grooves and can move along the long grooves.

[0007] In some embodiments, the connecting rod has a first posture and a second posture, wherein: in the first posture, the first lock cylinder is close to the circumferential edge of the inner sleeve and the second lock cylinder is close to the interior of the inner sleeve, and the first lock cylinder can be locked with the first locking member; in the second posture, the first lock cylinder is close to the interior of the inner sleeve and the second lock cylinder is close to the circumferential edge of the inner sleeve, and the second lock cylinder can be locked with the second locking member; a second reset biasing member is connected between the inner sleeve and the connecting rod, and the second reset biasing member applies a biasing force to the connecting rod to return it to the first posture.

[0008] In some embodiments, the inner sleeve is provided with a limiting rod, which is arranged to limit the rotation angle of the connecting rod when it returns to the first posture.

[0009] In some embodiments, the inner sleeve has a circumferential groove opposite to the first lateral opening, and the outer sleeve has a limiting member that is embedded in the circumferential groove and can move along the circumferential groove.

[0010] In some embodiments, the inner sleeve has two parallel and radially spaced slides extending transversely to its central axis, and the first lock cylinder and the second lock cylinder are respectively disposed in the corresponding slides and can move along the slides.

[0011] In some embodiments, the first locking member is fixedly mounted on the outer casing transverse to the rotation axis of the outer casing, the first lock cylinder has a first stop surface facing away from the second lock cylinder, the first locking member can abut against the first stop surface, and form a lock between the first locking member and the first lock cylinder.

[0012] In some embodiments, the second locking member is movable in a direction transverse to the rotation axis of the outer sleeve, the second lock cylinder has a second stop surface facing the first lock cylinder, the second locking member can be driven by the second lock cylinder to move away from the inner sleeve, and can move towards the inner sleeve and abut against the second stop surface when passing the second lock cylinder, so as to form a lock between the second locking member and the second lock cylinder.

[0013] In some embodiments, the outer sleeve is fixedly mounted with a sleeve transverse to the rotation axis of the outer sleeve, and a third reset biasing member is provided inside the sleeve. The third reset biasing member abuts between the second locking member and the sleeve, and applies a biasing force to the second locking member to bring it closer to the inner sleeve.

[0014] In some embodiments, the first lock cylinder has a first stop surface facing away from the second lock cylinder, the second lock cylinder has a second stop surface facing the first lock cylinder, the first locking member has a first engagement surface that can abut against the first stop surface, and the second locking member has a second engagement surface that can abut against the second stop surface, wherein the distance between the first stop surface and the second stop surface is less than the distance between the first engagement surface and the second engagement surface.

[0015] Other features and advantages of the present invention will partly become apparent to those skilled in the art upon reading this application, and partly will be described in conjunction with the accompanying drawings in the detailed description below. Attached Figure Description

[0016] The embodiments of the present invention will now be described in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings, wherein:

[0017] Figure 1 is a schematic diagram of an automatic locking mechanism according to an embodiment of the present invention, wherein the lateral opening of the inner sleeve and the lateral opening of the outer sleeve are opposite to each other.

[0018] Figure 2 is a schematic diagram of the automatic locking mechanism in Figure 1 from another angle;

[0019] Figure 3 is a schematic diagram of an automatic locking mechanism according to an embodiment of the present invention, wherein the lateral opening of the inner sleeve is aligned with the lateral opening of the outer sleeve.

[0020] Figure 4 is a schematic diagram of the automatic locking mechanism in Figure 3 from another angle;

[0021] Figure 5 is an exploded view of the automatic locking mechanism according to an embodiment of the present invention;

[0022] Figure 6 is a schematic diagram of the outer casing of the automatic locking mechanism according to an embodiment of the present invention at one angle;

[0023] Figure 7 is a schematic diagram of the coat in Figure 6 from another angle;

[0024] Figure 8 is a schematic diagram of the inner sleeve of the automatic locking mechanism according to an embodiment of the present invention at one angle;

[0025] Figure 9 is a schematic diagram of the inner sleeve of Figure 8 from another angle;

[0026] Figure 10 is a schematic diagram of the linkage of the automatic locking mechanism in a first posture according to an embodiment of the present invention;

[0027] Figure 11 is a schematic diagram of the linkage of the automatic locking mechanism in a second posture according to an embodiment of the present invention;

[0028] Figure 12 is a schematic diagram of the positional relationship between the first locking part and the second locking part in the automatic locking mechanism according to an embodiment of the present invention.

[0029] Explanation of reference numerals in the attached figures:

[0030] 1-Automatic locking mechanism; 2-Outer sleeve; 22-Groove; 23-Receiving groove; 25-End wall; 251-Receiving opening; 26-Side opening of outer sleeve; 27-Hole; 28-Hole; 29-Hole; 3-Stop; 31-Mounting component; 4-Inner sleeve; 41-First section; 42-Receiving groove; 43-Second section; 431-Side opening of inner sleeve; 432-Receiving space; 433-Slide groove; 434-Slide groove; 44-Circumferential groove; 5-Reset biasing component; 6-First locking part; 61-First lock cylinder; 6 11-Side; 612-Stop surface; 62-Shaft; 63-First locking element; 630-Mating surface; 7-Second locking part; 71-Second lock cylinder; 711-Side; 712-Stop surface; 72-Shaft; 73-Second locking element; 730-Mating surface; 74-Cylinder; 75-Fixing element; 76-Reset biasing element; 8-Connecting rod; 81-Shaft; 82-Reset biasing element; 83-Limiting rod; 84-Shaft; 85-Long slot; 86-Long slot; 8a-First part; 8b-Second part; 9-Limiting element Detailed Implementation

[0031] A schematic representation of the automatic locking mechanism disclosed in this invention will now be described in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings. Although the drawings are provided to illustrate some embodiments of the invention, they are not necessarily drawn to the dimensions of the specific embodiments, and certain features may be enlarged, removed, or partially cut to better illustrate and explain the disclosure of the invention. Some components in the drawings may be repositioned according to actual needs without affecting the technical effect. The phrase "in the drawings" or similar expressions appearing in the specification do not necessarily refer to all drawings or examples.

[0032] Certain directional terms used in the description of the accompanying drawings below, such as “inner,” “outer,” “above,” “below,” and other directional terms, will be understood to have their normal meaning and refer to those directions as normally viewed in the accompanying drawings. Unless otherwise specified, the directional terms used in this specification are generally in accordance with the conventional directions understood by those skilled in the art.

[0033] The terms “first,” “first,” “second,” “second,” and similar terms used in this invention do not indicate any order, quantity, or importance, but are used to distinguish one component from others.

[0034] Figures 1 to 5 exemplarily illustrate the automatic locking mechanism 1 of the present invention. As shown, the automatic locking mechanism 1 includes an outer sleeve 2 and an inner sleeve 4, and further includes a reset biasing member 5, a first locking part 6, and a second locking part 7 connected between the outer sleeve 2 and the inner sleeve 4. The cylindrical inner sleeve 4, having a central axis, is fixed, for example, fixed to a frame, while the outer sleeve 2 is fitted onto the inner sleeve 4 and can rotate about the central axis of the inner sleeve 4. Here, the central axes of the inner sleeve 4 and the outer sleeve 4 may coincide.

[0035] Referring to Figures 6 and 7, the outer sleeve 2 has an axially extending inner bore that is fully open at a first end to allow the inner sleeve 4 to be axially fitted into the outer sleeve 2. The outer sleeve 2 has an end wall 25 at a second end axially opposite to the first end, which partially covers the inner bore of the outer sleeve 2 and defines a receiving opening 251 communicating with the inner bore for placing material. Lateral openings 26 are formed on the circumferential wall of the outer sleeve 2, leading to the inner bore and the receiving opening 251.

[0036] Referring to Figures 8 and 9, the inner sleeve 4 includes a first segment 41 in the shape of a frustum and a second segment 43 connected to the first segment 41 and having an axial inner hole. The second segment 43 has a lateral opening 431 on its circumferential wall leading to the inner hole. When the outer sleeve 2 rotates relative to the inner sleeve 4 about its central axis, the lateral opening 26 of the outer sleeve 2 can be aligned with the lateral opening 431 of the inner sleeve 4, as shown in Figures 3 and 4, allowing material to fall into the inner holes of the outer sleeve 2 and the inner sleeve 4 through the two lateral openings 26 and 431. At this time, the outer sleeve 2 is in the first position.

[0037] The outer sleeve 2 can also be rotated about its central axis relative to the inner sleeve 4, causing the lateral opening 26 to be offset from the lateral opening 431 of the inner sleeve 4. In this second position, the outer sleeve 2 and the inner sleeve 4 can clamp the material, as shown in Figures 1 and 2. In one embodiment, when the outer sleeve 2 is in the second position, the lateral opening 26 and the lateral opening 431 are offset so that they face away from each other relative to the central axis of the inner sleeve 4.

[0038] A circumferential groove 44 is formed on the circumferential wall of the inner sleeve 4 adjacent to the side opening 431. The circumferential groove 44 extends along the circumference of the inner sleeve 4 and is opposite to the side opening 431. The outer sleeve 2 has a hole 27 on its circumferential wall, which extends radially along the outer sleeve 2. A limiting member 9 is fixedly installed in and extends from the hole 27 to be inserted into the circumferential groove 44. When the outer sleeve 2 rotates relative to the inner sleeve 4 about its central axis, the limiting member 9 rotates synchronously along the circumferential groove 44. The extension length of the circumferential groove 44 defines the rotation angle of the outer sleeve 2.

[0039] A reset biasing element 5 is connected between the inner sleeve 4 and the outer sleeve 2. When the outer sleeve 2 is in the second position, the reset biasing element 5 is in its natural state. During the rotation of the outer sleeve 2 from the second position to the first position, the reset biasing element 5 deforms and begins to store energy until the outer sleeve 2 is in the first position, at which point the reset biasing element 5 is tensioned. In one embodiment, there is a gap between the inner circumferential wall of the outer sleeve 2 and the outer circumferential wall of the inner sleeve 4, and the reset biasing element 5 is a torsion spring fitted onto the inner sleeve 4 and located in the gap between the outer sleeve 2 and the inner sleeve 4. One leg of the torsion spring is inserted into the outer sleeve 2, for example, into the receiving groove 23 on the first end face of the outer sleeve 2, while the other leg of the torsion spring is inserted into the inner sleeve 4, for example, into the receiving groove 42 on the end face of the first segment 41 of the inner sleeve 4. During the rotation of the outer sleeve 2 from the second position to the first position, the torsion spring, due to deformation, always applies a reset biasing force to the outer sleeve 4 to return it to the second position.

[0040] To prevent the reset biasing member 5 from accidentally dislodging from the inner sleeve 4 and the outer sleeve 2, a stop structure can be provided for the reset biasing member 5. In the illustrated embodiment, a plurality of grooves 22 are formed on the first end face of the outer sleeve 2, and these grooves 22 are spaced apart along the circumferential direction of the outer sleeve 2. Each groove 22 is provided with a stop member 3 that can be embedded in the groove 22, such as a stop piece whose length can cover the gap between the outer sleeve 2 and the inner sleeve 4. The stop member 3 can be fixed in the groove 22 by a mounting member 31, for example, a screw or bolt, and prevents the reset biasing member 5 from dislodging from the gap between the inner sleeve 4 and the outer sleeve 2.

[0041] As mentioned earlier, when the outer sleeve 2 rotates to the first position, the side opening 26 of the outer sleeve 2 aligns with the side opening 431 of the inner sleeve 4, allowing material to be added to the automatic locking mechanism 1. Simultaneously, the reset biasing member 5 is also in a tensioned state, applying a biasing force to the outer sleeve 2 to return it to the second position. To maintain the outer sleeve 2 in the first position without manual force, allowing material to be smoothly inserted, a first locking part 6 and a second locking part 7 are provided between the outer sleeve 2 and the inner sleeve 4. They perform locking functions at different times, which will be described in detail later.

[0042] As shown in Figures 5, 10, and 11, the first lock cylinder 61 of the first locking part 6 is movably mounted on the inner sleeve 4, while the first locking member 63 of the first locking part 6 is fixedly mounted on the outer sleeve 2. The outer sleeve 2 has a hole 28 extending perpendicularly to its central axis, spaced from the central axis of the outer sleeve 2. The first locking member 63 is installed in and extends out of the hole 28. The inner sleeve 4 has a groove 433 extending perpendicularly to its central axis, spaced from the central axis of the inner sleeve 4. The first lock cylinder 61 is embedded in the groove 433 and can move along the groove 433. The first lock cylinder 61 can move to engage with the first locking member 63 to hold the outer sleeve 2 in a first position for a required period of time, overcoming the reset bias force of the reset bias member 5. The first lock cylinder 61 can also move to unlock from the first locking member 63 to allow the reset bias member 5 to drive the outer sleeve 2 to rotate to a second position.

[0043] As shown in Figures 5, 10, and 11, the second locking member 73 of the second locking part 7 is mounted on the outer sleeve 2 and can move relative to the outer sleeve 2, while the second locking cylinder 71 of the second locking part 7 is movably mounted on the inner sleeve 4. The outer sleeve 2 has a hole 29 extending perpendicular to the central axis, which is spaced apart from the central axis of the outer sleeve 2. The hole 29 of the outer sleeve 2 is parallel to and spaced apart from the hole 28. To realize the movement of the second locking member 73 relative to the outer sleeve 2, an actuation mechanism can be provided for it. In the illustrated embodiment, the sleeve is fixedly mounted in the hole 29 of the outer sleeve 2, and a reset biasing member 76, such as a spring, is provided inside the sleeve. When the second locking member 73 is pressed by an external force and retracts into the sleeve, the reset biasing member 76 deforms and stores energy. When the external force on the second locking member 73 disappears, the reset biasing member 76 drives the second locking member 73 to extend out of the sleeve. The sleeve can be an integral structure or a split structure. For example, the sleeve can be split into a cylinder 74 and a fixing member 75 inserted into one end of the cylinder 74. The reset bias member 76 presses against the fixing member 75 and the second locking member 73. The inner sleeve 4 has a groove 434 extending perpendicular to the central axis, which is spaced apart from the central axis of the inner sleeve 4. The groove 434 of the inner sleeve 4 is parallel to and spaced apart from the groove 433. The second lock cylinder 71 is embedded in the groove 434 and can move along the groove 434. The second lock cylinder 71 can move to lock with the second locking member 73 to hold the outer sleeve 2 in a first position for a required period of time, overcoming the reset bias force of the reset bias member 5. The second lock cylinder 71 can also move to unlock with the second locking member 73 to allow the reset bias member 5 to drive the outer sleeve 2 to rotate to a second position.

[0044] The first locking part 6 and the second locking part 7 perform the locking function of the inner sleeve 4 and the outer sleeve 2 during completely staggered time periods. To ensure the linkage between the first locking part 6 and the second locking part 7, a connecting rod 8 can be connected between them. The connecting rod 8 is installed in the receiving space 432 of the inner sleeve 4 via a shaft 81 fixed to the inner sleeve 4, and can rotate around the shaft 81. The receiving space 432 is connected to the slide grooves 433 and 434 respectively. As shown in FIG10, the portion between the first end of the connecting rod 8 and the rotation axis is designated as the first portion 8a, and the portion between the second end of the connecting rod 8 and the rotation axis is designated as the second portion 8b. The connecting rod 8 has an elongated groove 85 in the first portion 8a and an elongated groove 86 in the second portion 8b. Both elongated grooves 85 and 86 extend along the length direction of the connecting rod 8. The shaft 62 passes through the elongated groove 85 and can slide along the elongated groove 85, and the shaft 62 is connected to the first lock cylinder 61. Shaft 72 passes through and slides along long groove 86, and is connected to second lock cylinder 71. Thus, first lock cylinder 61 can move along slide groove 433 of inner sleeve 4 and long groove 85 of connecting rod 8, while second lock cylinder 71 can move along inner sleeve 434 and long groove 86 of connecting rod 8.

[0045] As the connecting rod 8 rotates around axis 81, the first lock cylinder 61 can be moved relatively closer to the circumferential edge of the inner sleeve 4, while the second lock cylinder 71 can be moved relatively closer to the interior of the inner sleeve 4, as shown in Figure 10. At this time, the connecting rod 8 is in the first posture. The rotation of the connecting rod 8 around axis 81 can also move the first lock cylinder 61 relatively closer to the interior of the inner sleeve 4, while the second lock cylinder 71 can be moved relatively closer to the circumference of the inner sleeve 4, as shown in Figure 11. At this time, the connecting rod 8 is in the second posture. A reset biasing member 82 is connected between the connecting rod 8 and the inner sleeve 4. The function of the reset biasing member 82 is to drive the connecting rod 8 back to the first posture. When the connecting rod 8 is in the first posture, the reset biasing member 82 is in its natural state. During the rotation of the connecting rod 8 from the first posture to the second posture, the reset biasing member 82 deforms and stores energy, always applying a biasing force to the connecting rod 8 to return to the first posture. Until the connecting rod 8 reaches the second posture, the reset biasing member 82 is tensioned. In one embodiment, the reset biasing member 82 is a tension spring, one end of which is connected to the second part 8b of the connecting rod 8, and the other end is connected to the shaft 84 fixed to the inner sleeve 4. A limiting rod 83 is also provided on the side of the connecting rod 8 to limit the rotation angle of the connecting rod 8, especially the rotation angle when resetting to the first posture.

[0046] The positional relationship between the first locking part 6 and the second locking part 7 is specially designed so that when the first lock cylinder 61 is locked with the first locking member 63, the second lock cylinder 71 is offset from the position where it is locked with the second locking member 73, and when the second lock cylinder 71 is locked with the second locking member 73, the first lock cylinder 61 is also disengaged from the first locking member 63. In one embodiment, referring to FIG12, the surface of the first lock cylinder 61 that can block the first locking member 63 is designated as the stop surface 612, and the surface of the first locking member 63 that can press against the first lock cylinder 61 is designated as the engagement surface 630. Similarly, the surface of the second lock cylinder 71 that can block the second locking member 73 is designated as the stop surface 712, and the surface of the second locking member 73 that can press against the second lock cylinder 71 is designated as the engagement surface 730. The distance L1 between the stop surface 612 and the stop surface 712 is less than the distance L2 between the engagement surface 630 and the engagement surface 730. Thus, when the mating surface 630 of the first locking member 63 presses against the stop surface 612 of the first lock cylinder 61 to lock the first lock cylinder 61 with the first locking member 63, the second locking member 73 has not yet reached the position where it can lock with the second lock cylinder 71. Similarly, when the second locking member 73 reaches the position where its mating surface 730 can press against the stop surface 712 of the second lock cylinder 71 to lock the second lock cylinder 71 with the second locking member 73, the mating surface 630 of the first locking member 63 has already separated from the stop surface 612 of the first lock cylinder 61.

[0047] The working principle of the automatic locking mechanism 1 provided by the present invention will be described in detail below with reference to the accompanying drawings.

[0048] I. Initial Stage

[0049] In the initial stage, there is no material in the automatic locking mechanism 1. Under the action of the reset biasing member 5, the outer sleeve 2 is in the second position, at which time the lateral opening 26 of the outer sleeve 2 and the lateral opening 431 of the inner sleeve 4 are opposite to each other, as shown in Figures 1 and 2. The outer sleeve 2 and the inner sleeve 4 enclose a space for fixing materials later.

[0050] Since there is no material, the connecting rod 8 is in the first position under the action of the reset biasing member 82, as shown in Figure 10. At this time, the first lock cylinder 61 is relatively closer to the circumferential edge of the inner sleeve 4, while the second lock cylinder 71 is relatively closer to the inside of the inner sleeve 4.

[0051] II. Adding materials

[0052] In the initial state, manually rotate the outer sleeve 2 from the second position to the first position along the first direction A shown in Figure 1, aligning the lateral opening 26 of the outer sleeve 2 with the lateral opening 431 of the inner sleeve 4. As the outer sleeve 2 rotates along the first direction A, the first locking member 63 first passes the second lock cylinder 71. At this time, since the connecting rod 8 is still in the first posture, the second lock cylinder 71 will not block the first locking member 63. After the first locking member 63 passes the second lock cylinder 71, the second locking member 73 approaches the second lock cylinder 71. Similarly, the second lock cylinder 71 will not block the second locking member 73.

[0053] Next, as the outer sleeve 2 continues to rotate along the first direction A towards the first position, the first locking member 63 approaches the first lock cylinder 61. At this time, the connecting rod 8 is still in the first posture. During this stage, the end face of the first locking member 63 is inclined relative to the side 611 of the first lock cylinder 61, so the first lock cylinder 61 will not obstruct the rotation of the first locking member 63 along the first direction A. When the first locking member 63 rotates past the first lock cylinder 61 and the second locking member 63 has not yet reached the position where it can lock with the second lock cylinder 71, the lateral opening 26 of the outer sleeve 2 aligns with the lateral opening 431 of the inner sleeve 4, and the rotation of the outer sleeve 2 along the first direction A can be stopped.

[0054] After release, the outer sleeve 2, driven by the reset bias member 5, tends to rotate back to the second position along the second direction B, which is opposite to the first direction A. However, this tendency is blocked by the first lock cylinder 61. When the first locking member 63 passes the first lock cylinder 61, the mating surface 630 of the first locking member 63 can abut against the stop surface 612 of the first lock cylinder 61. That is, the first lock cylinder 61 and the first locking member 63 are locked together. In this way, the outer sleeve 2 cannot rotate back to its original position along the second direction B and remains in the first position.

[0055] Materials can be placed into the automatic locking mechanism 1. Sufficient weight of material will drive the connecting rod 8 into the second position. At this time, the first lock cylinder 61 is driven to move along the slide groove 433 towards the inside of the inner sleeve 4, while the second lock cylinder 71 is driven to move along the slide groove 434 towards the circumferential edge of the inner sleeve 4. This unlocks the first lock cylinder 61 from the first locking member 63. Since the second lock cylinder 71 has not yet reached the position where it can lock with the second locking member 73, the outer sleeve 2 can automatically rotate back to the second position along the second direction B under the drive of the reset bias member 5.

[0056] III. Material Replacement

[0057] With the outer sleeve 2 in the second position and the automatic locking sleeve 1 containing materials, referring to Figure 11, the connecting rod 8 is in the second posture. At this time, the first lock cylinder 61 is relatively closer to the inside of the inner sleeve 4, while the second lock cylinder 71 is relatively closer to the circumferential edge of the inner sleeve 4.

[0058] When changing materials, manually rotate the outer sleeve 2 from the second position to the first position along the first direction A, aligning the side opening 26 of the outer sleeve 2 with the side opening 431 of the inner sleeve 4. As the outer sleeve 2 rotates along the first direction A, the first locking member 63 passes the second lock cylinder 71 first. The outer side 711 of the second lock cylinder 71 is sloped, so it does not prevent the first locking member 63 from passing over the second lock cylinder 71 and approaching the first lock cylinder 61.

[0059] After the first locking member 63 passes the second lock cylinder 71, the second locking member 73 approaches the second lock cylinder 71 and abuts against the inclined side 711 of the second lock cylinder 71. As rotation continues along the first direction A, the inclined side 711 pushes the second locking member 73 away from the inner sleeve 4. Until the second locking member 73 passes the second lock cylinder 71, under the drive of the reset bias member 76, the second locking member 73 can return to its original position and approach the inner sleeve 4. At this time, the lateral opening 26 of the outer sleeve 2 is aligned with the lateral opening 431 of the inner sleeve 4, and the rotation of the outer sleeve 2 along the first direction A can be stopped.

[0060] After release, the outer sleeve 2, driven by the reset bias member 5, tends to rotate back to the second position along the second direction B, but this tendency is prevented by the second lock cylinder 71. When the second locking member 73 passes the second lock cylinder 71, the mating surface 730 of the reset second locking member 73 can abut against the stop surface 712 of the second lock cylinder 71. That is, the second lock cylinder 71 and the second locking member 73 are locked together. Thus, the outer sleeve 2 cannot rotate back to its original position along the second direction B and remains in the first position. Materials can then be removed from the automatic locking mechanism.

[0061] When materials are removed from the automatic locking mechanism 1 and no new materials are placed, the reset bias member 82 can pull the connecting rod 8 to rotate to the first posture, causing the second lock cylinder 71 to move closer to the inside of the inner sleeve 4 and unlock with the second locking member 73, while the first lock cylinder 61 moves closer to the circumferential edge of the inner sleeve 4 and can re-lock with the first locking member 63. According to the special positional relationship between the first locking part 6 and the second locking part 7, after the second lock cylinder 71 unlocks with the second locking member 73, the first locking member 63 needs to fall back a short distance along the second direction B to re-lock with the first lock cylinder 61. This fallback distance is not enough to make the side opening 26 of the outer sleeve 2 misalign with the side opening 431 of the inner sleeve 4 and affect the insertion of new materials, but it can make the second locking member 73 rotate along the second direction B to a position misaligned with the stop surface 712 of the second lock cylinder 71.

[0062] Next, new material is placed into the automatic locking mechanism 1 to push the connecting rod 8 into the second posture, thereby unlocking the first lock cylinder 61 from the first locking member 63. Since the second lock cylinder 71 has not yet reached the position where it can lock with the second locking member 73, the outer sleeve 2 can automatically rotate back to the second position along the second direction B under the drive of the reset bias member 5.

[0063] It should be understood that although this specification describes various embodiments, not every embodiment contains only one independent technical solution. This way of describing the specification is only for clarity. Those skilled in the art should regard the specification as a whole. The technical solutions in each embodiment can also be appropriately combined to form other implementation methods that can be understood by those skilled in the art.

[0064] The above description is merely an illustrative embodiment of the present invention and is not intended to limit the scope of the invention. Any equivalent changes, modifications, and combinations made by those skilled in the art without departing from the concept and principles of the present invention should fall within the scope of protection of the present invention.

Claims

1. An automatic locking mechanism, characterized in that, include: The inner sleeve has a first lateral opening in the circumferential direction; An outer sleeve, rotatably fitted onto the inner sleeve, has a second lateral opening in the circumferential direction, wherein the outer sleeve is rotatable to a first position where the second lateral opening aligns with the first lateral opening, and a second position where the second lateral opening faces away from the first lateral opening; a first reset biasing member abuts between the inner sleeve and the outer sleeve and applies a biasing force to the outer sleeve to return it to the second position; a first locking portion includes a first lock cylinder mounted on the inner sleeve and a first locking member mounted on the outer sleeve, wherein the first locking portion is configured such that when the outer sleeve is in the first position and no material is placed in the inner sleeve, the first lock cylinder engages with the first locking member and prevents the outer sleeve from returning to the second position; a second locking portion includes a second lock cylinder mounted on the inner sleeve and linked to the first lock cylinder and a second locking member mounted on the outer sleeve, wherein the second locking portion is configured such that when the outer sleeve is in the first position and material is placed in the inner sleeve, the second lock cylinder engages with the second locking member and prevents the outer sleeve from returning to the second position.

2. The automatic locking mechanism according to claim 1, characterized in that, The inner sleeve is provided with a rotatable connecting rod. The connecting rod has long grooves extending along the length direction of the connecting rod on opposite sides of the rotation axis. The first lock cylinder and the second lock cylinder are rotatably disposed in the corresponding long grooves and can move along the long grooves.

3. The automatic locking mechanism according to claim 2, characterized in that, The connecting rod has a first posture and a second posture, wherein: in the first posture, the first lock cylinder is close to the circumferential edge of the inner sleeve and the second lock cylinder is close to the interior of the inner sleeve, and the first lock cylinder can be locked with the first locking member; in the second posture, the first lock cylinder is close to the interior of the inner sleeve and the second lock cylinder is close to the circumferential edge of the inner sleeve, and the second lock cylinder can be locked with the second locking member; a second reset biasing member is connected between the inner sleeve and the connecting rod, and the second reset biasing member applies a biasing force to the connecting rod to return it to the first posture.

4. The automatic locking mechanism according to claim 3, characterized in that, The inner sleeve is provided with a limiting rod, which is arranged to limit the rotation angle of the connecting rod when it returns to the first posture.

5. The automatic locking mechanism according to claim 1, characterized in that, The inner sleeve has a circumferential groove opposite to the first lateral opening, and the outer sleeve is provided with a limiting member that is embedded in the circumferential groove and can move along the circumferential groove.

6. The automatic locking mechanism according to claim 1, characterized in that, The inner sleeve has two parallel and radially spaced slide grooves extending transversely to its central axis. The first lock cylinder and the second lock cylinder are respectively placed in the corresponding slide grooves and can move along the slide grooves.

7. The automatic locking mechanism according to claim 1, characterized in that, The first locking member is mounted on the outer casing transversely to the rotation axis of the outer casing. The first lock cylinder has a first stop surface facing away from the second lock cylinder. The first locking member can abut against the first stop surface and form a lock between the first locking member and the first lock cylinder.

8. The automatic locking mechanism according to claim 1, characterized in that, The second locking member is movable in a direction transverse to the rotation axis of the outer sleeve. The second lock cylinder has a second stop surface facing the first lock cylinder. The second locking member can be driven by the second lock cylinder to move away from the inner sleeve, and can move towards the inner sleeve and abut against the second stop surface when passing the second lock cylinder, so as to form a lock between the second locking member and the second lock cylinder.

9. The automatic locking mechanism according to claim 1, characterized in that, The outer sleeve is fixedly installed with a sleeve transverse to the rotation axis of the outer sleeve, and a third reset biasing member is provided inside the sleeve. The third reset biasing member abuts between the second locking member and the sleeve, and applies a biasing force to the second locking member to bring it closer to the inner sleeve.

10. The automatic locking mechanism according to claim 1, characterized in that, The first lock cylinder has a first stop surface facing away from the second lock cylinder, the second lock cylinder has a second stop surface facing the first lock cylinder, the first locking member has a first engagement surface that can abut against the first stop surface, and the second locking member has a second engagement surface that can abut against the second stop surface, wherein the distance between the first stop surface and the second stop surface is less than the distance between the first engagement surface and the second engagement surface.

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