Automatic locking and unlocking mechanism, operation method thereof and bill detection equipment

Abstract

The invention discloses an automatic locking and unlocking mechanism, an operation method thereof and bill detection equipment, and relates to the technical field of mechanical transmission. The mechanism comprises a top cover body, a bottom cover body, a composite ratchet wheel, a swing rod, a first elastic piece, a tray and a ratchet rod, the composite ratchet wheel is arranged in a containing bin of the bottom cover body, the swing rod is installed on the top cover body through a swing rod rotating shaft, a protruding tooth at the initial end of the swing rod is meshed with a concave-convex gear, and a swing rod clamping block at the tail end can be matched with a tray clamping groove; the ratchet rod is arranged at the starting end of the tray, the pawl and the ratchet wheel are matched to push the composite ratchet wheel to rotate, the swing rod is driven to swing, the swing rod clamping block and the clamping groove are clamped or separated, and automatic locking / unlocking is completed. The operation method comprises the steps that the tray is pushed, the ratchet rod drives the composite ratchet wheel to rotate, the swing rod swings under the action of the concave-convex gear, locking or unlocking is achieved, and continuous external power is not needed. The device is high in connection strength, high in environmental adaptability, long in service life and intelligent in operation, has the mistaken touch prevention function and is suitable for scenes such as bill detection equipment needing to be repeatedly opened, closed and locked.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This application relates to the field of mechanical transmission technology, specifically to an automatic locking and unlocking mechanism and its operating method for a ticket inspection device or similar device that requires repeated opening and closing and reliable locking. Background Technology

[0002] In products such as invoice inspection equipment, precision instrument housings, and detachable modules, a mechanism for rapid locking and unlocking is often required. Currently, plastic snap-fit ​​self-locking mechanisms are widely used. While these mechanisms are simple in structure and low in cost, they have significant drawbacks: First, their connection strength is limited, relying mainly on the elastic deformation of the plastic parts to generate locking force. They have weak tensile and shear resistance and cannot withstand large torques, tensions, or continuous loads, making them prone to loosening or failure under strong impacts or vibrations. Second, plastic materials are susceptible to temperature changes; they become brittle and prone to breakage at low temperatures, and soften at high temperatures, leading to a decrease in locking force and poor environmental adaptability. Furthermore, plastic parts are prone to fatigue and plastic deformation during frequent use, causing a gradual decrease in locking force until the snap-fit ​​breaks, resulting in a short service life. In addition, most snap-fits are one-way locking, offering poor protection against accidental activation, and disassembly usually requires specific tools or considerable force, resulting in poor maintainability. Therefore, there is an urgent need for an automatic locking and unlocking mechanism with high connection strength, strong environmental adaptability, long service life, reliable operation, and anti-accidental activation capabilities. Summary of the Invention

[0003] The technical problem to be solved by this application is to provide an automatic locking and unlocking mechanism with high connection strength, no need for continuous external power input, and good action continuity.

[0004] To address the aforementioned technical problems, this application provides an automatic locking and unlocking mechanism, comprising: a top cover, a bottom cover, a composite ratchet, a rocker arm, a first elastic element, a tray, and a ratchet. The composite ratchet is located in the accommodating compartment at the beginning of the bottom cover. The composite ratchet includes a coaxially stacked convex and concave gear and a ratchet. The tooth valleys of the ratchet teeth are respectively matched and correspond to the convex center line and the concave center line of the convex and concave gears. The swing arm is movably mounted on the top cover via a swing arm pivot. The upper end of the swing arm abuts against the first elastic element, and the protruding teeth at the beginning of the swing arm can mesh with the recess of the convex and concave gear. The tray is slidably mounted on the bottom cover. The ratchet is located at the beginning of the tray. The pawl at the beginning of the ratchet engages with the ratchet teeth to drive the compound ratchet wheel to rotate, causing the swing arm to rotate around its axis. Through the engagement of the convex and concave gears, the swing arm is driven to swing around its axis, causing the swing arm locking block at the end of the swing arm to engage or disengage from the tray's locking slot, thus automatically locking or unlocking the tray. This achieves automatic locking and unlocking without continuous external power input, with smooth and reliable operation.

[0005] Furthermore, the ratchet's tooth valleys are evenly arranged circumferentially, and the ratio of the number of protrusions to the number of tooth valleys of the convex and concave teeth is 1:2, corresponding to the tooth shape of the convex and concave gear including sequentially arranged depressions and protrusions along the circumferential direction; or 1:4, corresponding to the tooth shape of the convex and concave gear including sequentially arranged first depression, second depression, first protrusion, and second protrusion along the circumferential direction; or 2:3, corresponding to the tooth shape of the convex and concave gear including sequentially arranged third depression, third protrusion, and fourth protrusion along the circumferential direction.

[0006] Furthermore, a sliding groove is provided on the bottom cover, and the tray is slidably installed in the sliding groove. A U-shaped limiting groove is provided at the beginning of the sliding groove, and the length of the U-shaped limiting groove is equal to the stroke corresponding to the ratchet pushing the ratchet to rotate one ratchet tooth. Thus, the locking or unlocking stroke of the tray can be precisely controlled to prevent the sliding trajectory from deviating.

[0007] Furthermore, a second elastic element is provided inside the U-shaped limiting groove, the distance between the two inner sidewalls of the U-shaped limiting groove is less than or equal to the width of the second elastic element, and an accommodating groove matching the shape of the second elastic element is provided at the bottom of the U-shaped limiting groove.

[0008] Furthermore, the top cover has a swing arm mounting groove, the width of the swing arm pivot is greater than the width of the swing arm, and both ends of the swing arm pivot are respectively fitted to the inner sidewall of the swing arm mounting groove. This achieves left and right limiting of the swing arm, solving the problems of swing arm tilting, severe wear, and friction noise caused by uneven support surfaces when the width of the swing arm and the mounting groove are the same in existing technologies; thus achieving stable swing arm operation, minimal wear, and no friction noise.

[0009] Furthermore, the ratchet bar is mounted in the ratchet bar mounting groove at the beginning of the tray via a ratchet bar pivot, and a ratchet tooth clearance groove is provided at the location of the pawl. A sliding groove matching the movement trajectory of the pawl is also provided on the surface of the bottom cover. This prevents frictional interference between the pawl and other components when the ratchet bar pushes the compound ratchet wheel or the tray to move, ensuring smooth movement.

[0010] Furthermore, the mechanism also includes a third elastic element. A first groove matching the diameter of the third elastic element is formed on one side of the composite ratchet. A spring receiving cavity is provided on the inner wall of the initial receiving compartment of the bottom cover. The third elastic element is housed between the first groove and the spring receiving cavity. This provides elastic support for the composite ratchet, enhancing its axial stability during rotation and preventing tooth engagement misalignment.

[0011] Furthermore, a blind hole is provided on the other side of the composite ratchet, and a through hole is provided at the corresponding position on the wall of the receiving compartment at the beginning of the bottom cover. This correspondence between the through hole and the blind hole prevents the composite ratchet from being installed backwards and provides the conditions for using the emergency locking mechanism.

[0012] Furthermore, the beginning of the slot at the start of the tray is provided with a protrusion with an inclined surface. This inclined surface guides the end of the lever smoothly into the slot, improving the smoothness and alignment accuracy of the locking action.

[0013] Furthermore, the weight at the action end of the ratchet is greater than that at the other end. This gravity ensures that the ratchet and the compound ratchet teeth maintain a consistent meshing posture, preventing jamming or misalignment.

[0014] Furthermore, sliding portions are protruding on both sides of the beginning of the tray. These sliding portions contact the inner wall of the sliding groove, and the end of the sliding groove extends inward to form a stop block. The end step of the sliding portion matches the stop block. This provides double-limiting of the tray's sliding trajectory, preventing it from exceeding its sliding range or causing offset collisions.

[0015] In addition, this application also provides a ticket detection device, including a housing, the bottom of which is embedded with the automatic locking and unlocking mechanism as described above.

[0016] Furthermore, this application also provides an operating method for an automatic locking and unlocking mechanism, applied to the mechanism described above, comprising the following steps: The process of pushing the pallet is as follows: Push the pallet along the sliding groove of the bottom cover towards the receiving compartment. The pallet drives the ratchet installed on it to move synchronously. The pawl at the beginning of the ratchet contacts the ratchet teeth of the compound ratchet. Compound ratchet rotation steps: Continuously push the tray, the pawl applies a thrust to the ratchet teeth, causing the compound ratchet to rotate around its own axis, and the concave and convex gears of the compound ratchet rotate synchronously; The rotation steps of the rocker arm are as follows: When the convex and concave gears rotate, their contour surfaces push the convex teeth at the beginning of the rocker arm to move, the rocker arm rotates around the rocker arm axis, and the first elastic element above the rocker arm deforms. Pallet locking procedure: When the compound ratchet rotates to the preset angle, the lever block at the end of the lever moves into the slot at the beginning of the pallet and engages, completing the automatic locking of the pallet; Tray unlocking steps: Push the tray again, the pawl continues to push the compound ratchet to rotate, the convex tooth moves into the recess of the convex-concave gear, the first elastic element resets, driving the rocker arm to rotate in the opposite direction, the rocker arm locking block disengages from the slot, completing the automatic unlocking of the tray. This solves the problem of existing technologies relying on continuous external power for locking / unlocking and the discontinuous locking / unlocking actions; achieving the effect of no continuous external power required and smooth, controllable locking / unlocking actions.

[0017] Furthermore, during the pallet pushing step, the sliding part of the pallet slides along the inner wall of the sliding groove. When the step of the sliding part contacts the stop block of the sliding groove, the pallet stops moving. This limits the maximum travel distance of the pallet, solving the problem of component collision damage caused by excessive pallet sliding in existing technologies; and achieving precise control of the pallet travel and high mechanism safety.

[0018] Furthermore, in the compound ratchet rotation step, the weighted end of the ratchet bar first contacts the peak of the ratchet tooth, pushing the compound ratchet to rotate starting from the lower ratchet tooth. This ensures precise engagement between the pawl and the ratchet tooth, solving the problems of misalignment and jamming in existing technologies; achieving precise ratchet engagement and smooth pushing; the corresponding lever protrusion corresponds to the top position of the compound ratchet.

[0019] In summary, the automatic locking and unlocking mechanism and its operating method provided in this application have the following advantages compared to the prior art: 1. Extremely high connection strength and reliability: Adopting the principle of metal mechanical interlock, the load is borne by the rigid engagement of the swing arm block and the tray slot. Its tensile, shear and impact resistance far exceeds that of traditional plastic buckles, and it can withstand high-intensity vibration, impact and continuous tension.

[0020] 2. Strong environmental adaptability: The main structural components are made of metal, with a stable coefficient of thermal expansion, maintaining consistent performance in high and low temperature environments, thus overcoming the performance degradation problem caused by temperature changes in plastic parts.

[0021] 3. Long service life and maintenance-free: The key moving parts are steel-to-steel friction pairs with good wear resistance; the mechanism moves smoothly without continuous sliding friction points, and can maintain stable locking force and operation feel even under frequent use, resulting in an extremely long service life.

[0022] 4. Intelligent operation and clear feedback: Through the linkage of "push-ratchet-swing bar", "one-click" automatic locking and unlocking is achieved without continuous external force, and there is a clear "click" sound and tactile feedback when locking.

[0023] 5. Features accidental activation prevention and safety locking: A special convex-concave gear tooth design (e.g., two convex and one concave) enables a multi-operation locking mechanism to prevent accidental activation. Additionally, a pre-reserved emergency locking hole allows for permanent fixation of the mechanism in special circumstances.

[0024] 6. User-friendly assembly and precise guidance: The design of limit grooves, stop blocks, and guide ramps ensures the uniqueness and accuracy of each component assembly, reduces assembly difficulty, and guarantees the accuracy of the running trajectory. Attached Figure Description

[0025] Figure 1 This is an exploded view of the overall structure of the automatic locking and unlocking mechanism of this application.

[0026] Figure 2 for Figure 1 A schematic diagram of the midsole cover after the composite ratchet is installed.

[0027] Figure 3 This is a schematic diagram of the structure of the tray in the locked state of this application.

[0028] Figure 4 For along Figure 3 The diagram shows a cross-sectional view of the convex and concave gears cut radially.

[0029] Figure 5 This is a schematic diagram of the composite ratchet structure of this application.

[0030] Figure 6 This is a perspective view of the locked state structure in Scheme 2 of Embodiment (II) of this application.

[0031] Figure 7 This is a schematic diagram of another perspective structure of the locked state in Scheme 2 of Embodiment (II) of this application.

[0032] Figure 8 This is a schematic diagram of the structure of the top cover of this application.

[0033] The symbols in the attached image are explained below.

[0034] Component Name label Component Name label Top cover 100 Ratchet 321 Bottom cover 200 Composite ratchet shaft 322 Compound ratchet 300 Card slot 620 rocker arm 400 pawl 720 First elastic element 500 Ratchet clearance groove 730 tray 600 Storage 210 ratchet 700 sliding groove 220 rocker arm pivot 410 U-shaped limiting groove 221 rocker arm teeth 420 Second elastic element 222 rocker arm block 430 Stop block 223 Concave and convex gears 310 rocker arm mounting slot 110 dent 311 ratchet pivot 710 protrusion 312 Third elastic element 340 ratchet 320 Elastic tongue 610 Detailed Implementation

[0035] It should be noted that, unless otherwise specified, the embodiments and features described in this application can be combined with each other. The application will be further described in detail below with reference to the accompanying drawings and specific embodiments.

[0036] In the embodiments of this application, directional indicators (such as up, down, left, right, front, back, etc.) are only used to explain the relative positional relationship and movement of each component in a certain specific posture (as shown in the figure). If the specific posture changes, the directional indicator will also change accordingly.

[0037] Furthermore, the use of terms such as "first" and "second" in this application is for descriptive purposes only and should not be construed as indicating or implying their relative importance or implicitly specifying the number of technical features indicated. Therefore, a feature defined with "first" or "second" may explicitly or implicitly include at least one of those features.

[0038] The following is in conjunction with the appendix Figures 1-5 This application provides a detailed description of its automatic locking and unlocking mechanism and its operation method. It should be understood that the specific embodiments described herein are for illustrative purposes only and are not intended to limit the scope of this application.

[0039] Example (1): Provides a basic implementation scheme for an automatic locking and unlocking mechanism, which achieves the effect of automatic locking and unlocking without continuous external power input, with smooth action and reliable connection.

[0040] like Figures 1 to 5 As shown, this application embodiment provides an automatic locking and unlocking mechanism, mainly used for locking moving components in a ticket detection device, but its application scenarios are not limited to this. The automatic locking and unlocking mechanism includes a top cover 100, a bottom cover 200, a composite ratchet 300, a swing arm 400, a first elastic element 500, a tray 600, and a ratchet 700.

[0041] The bottom cover 200 and the top cover 100 are fixedly connected by screws or clips, forming a structural mounting base together. The bottom cover 200 has a receiving compartment 210 at its beginning, and the compound ratchet 300 is rotatably mounted in the receiving compartment 210 via the compound ratchet shaft 322.

[0042] The composite ratchet 300 is integrally injection molded or assembled, including a coaxially stacked convex and concave gear 310 and a ratchet 320. The circumference of the convex and concave gear 310 has concave and convex tooth surfaces in a specific ratio to the number of ratchet teeth 321 of the ratchet 320. The ratchet teeth 321 are evenly distributed along the circumference, and the valley of each ratchet tooth 321 is precisely aligned sequentially with the center line of the protrusion 312 (i.e., the axial line of the highest point of the protrusion 312) and the center line of the depression 311 (i.e., the axial line of the lowest point of the depression 311) of the convex and concave gear 310, ensuring synchronous movement of both. In this embodiment, the tooth profile of the convex and concave gear 310 includes a depression 311 and a protrusion 312 arranged sequentially along the circumferential direction. The center line of the protrusion 312 (i.e., the axial line of the highest point of the protrusion 312) is aligned with the center line of the valley of one of the ratchet teeth 321, and the center line of the depression 311 is aligned with the center line of the valley of the next adjacent ratchet tooth 321. This 1:1 correspondence ensures that for every tooth the ratchet 320 is turned, the cam and cam gear 310 completes one cycle of transition.

[0043] A rocker arm mounting groove 110 is provided on the top cover 100 above the compound ratchet 300. The rocker arm 400 is movably mounted in the rocker arm mounting groove 110 via a rocker arm pivot 410, and the rocker arm 400 can swing freely around the rocker arm pivot 410. The starting end of the rocker arm 400 (the end near the compound ratchet 300) extends downward to form a tooth. The rocker arm tooth 420 can mesh with the recess 311 of the convex and concave gear 310. A first elastic element 500 is provided above the starting end of the rocker arm 400. The first elastic element 500 is a compression spring. One end abuts against the inner wall of the top cover 100, and the other end presses against the starting end of the rocker arm 400, providing the rocker arm 400 with a continuous elastic force that makes the rocker arm tooth 420 tend to mesh into the recess 311.

[0044] The bottom cover 200 has a sliding groove 220 extending along its length. The tray 600 is slidably fitted into the sliding groove 220 by sliders on both sides of its starting end, and can reciprocate along the sliding groove 220. The ratchet 700 is fixedly installed at the starting end of the tray 600 by a pin. The starting end of the ratchet 700 is provided with a pawl 720. The tooth shape of the pawl 720 matches the ratchet tooth 321 of the ratchet wheel 320, which can drive the compound ratchet wheel 300 to rotate. The end of the rocker arm 400 extends towards the tray 600 to form a rocker arm locking block 430. A corresponding slot 620 is provided at the starting end of the tray 600. The rocker arm locking block 430 can engage or disengage with the slot 620.

[0045] Preferably, the position of the rocker arm protrusion 420 corresponds to the highest profile of the convex and concave gear 310, so that during the rotation of the convex and concave gear 310, its high point can push the rocker arm 400 to swing more smoothly, and the pawl 720 faces the second highest profile of the ratchet 320, so that the pawl 720 can push the compound ratchet 300 to rotate.

[0046] Work process Locking Operation: The tray 600 is pushed along the sliding groove 220 towards the receiving compartment 210. The tray 600 drives the ratchet 700 to move synchronously. The pawl 720 contacts the ratchet tooth 321 and applies a pushing force, causing the compound ratchet 300 to rotate. The convex gear 310 rotates synchronously with the compound ratchet 300. Its contour, i.e., the surface of the protrusion 312, pushes the protrusion at the beginning of the rocker arm 400, forcing the rocker arm 400 to overcome the elastic force of the first elastic element 500 and rotate around the rocker arm pivot 410. When the compound ratchet 300 rotates to a preset angle, the rocker arm locking block 430 at the end of the rocker arm 400 moves to the locking groove 620 and engages, completing one locking action of the tray 600.

[0047] Unlocking operation: Push the tray 600 again, and the pawl 720 will continue to push the compound ratchet 300 to rotate. When the rocker arm tooth 420 moves into the recess 311 of the convex-concave gear 310, the first elastic element 500 will reset, causing the rocker arm 400 to rotate in the opposite direction. The rocker arm locking block 430 will disengage from the locking slot 620, and the tray 600 can move freely, completing the automatic unlocking.

[0048] Example (2): Implementation of the tooth profile ratio of the composite ratchet 300. The tooth profile ratio of the composite ratchet 300 is specifically designed to achieve precise linkage between the ratchet 321 and the concave and convex teeth.

[0049] Using the same basic structure as in Example 1, the core improvement lies in the tooth profile design of the compound ratchet 300, providing two specific implementation schemes: Option 1: The tooth valleys of ratchet 321 are evenly arranged circumferentially, and the ratio of the number of protrusions 312 to the number of tooth valleys of convex gear 310 is 1:2. The tooth profile of convex gear 310 is arranged circumferentially with concave 311 and protrusions 312, that is, every two tooth valleys of ratchet 321 correspond to one concave-convex cycle (concave 311 + protrusion 312). Specifically, the center line of the tooth valley of the first ratchet 321 (i.e., the axial line of the lowest point of the tooth valley) is aligned with the center line of the protrusion 312, and the center line of the tooth valley of the adjacent second ratchet 321 is aligned with the center line of the concave 311, ensuring that the convex gear 310 completes a complete concave-convex cycle for every two rotations of ratchet 321.

[0050] Option 2: Based on Option 1, the tooth structure of the composite ratchet 300 is replaced and optimized. The ratio of the number of tooth valleys of the protrusion 312 to the number of tooth valleys of the ratchet 321 is 1:4 or 2:3.

[0051] Please refer to Figure 6 and Figure 7 When the ratio is 1:4, the tooth profile of the corresponding convex and concave gear 310 includes a first recess, a second recess, a first protrusion, and a second protrusion arranged sequentially along the circumferential direction. The first recess and the second recess have the same depth, and the first protrusion and the second protrusion have the same height. Each protrusion or recess is matched with a tooth valley. That is, when the tray 600 pushes the compound ratchet 300 to rotate twice, it remains in the same state. The locking state changes only when it rotates for the third time.

[0052] When the ratio is 2:3 (not shown in the figure), the teeth of the convex and concave gear 310 are arranged in the circumferential direction as the third concave, the third convex, and the fourth convex (the radial height of the fourth convex is higher than that of the third convex, for example, 0.1mm to 1.5mm higher, and the higher convex achieves a more stable locking and connection effect). That is, every three ratchet teeth 321 correspond to one concave-convex cycle (third concave + third convex + fourth convex). The three adjacent tooth valleys are aligned with the center line of the third concave, the center line of the third convex, and the center line of the fourth convex, respectively, so that the convex and concave gear 310 completes one complete tooth profile conversion for every three ratchet teeth 321 rotated by the ratchet 320.

[0053] The technical advantage of Option 2 is that, by using this toothed shape, the pallet 600 needs to be pushed at least twice for the swing arm 400 to complete a full locking cycle from "engaging into the recess 311 - swinging - swinging again," forming a multi-locking (anti-accidental touch) mechanism. In the locked state, if a single misoperation or accidental push of the pallet 600 occurs, the swing arm 400 will swing to the second or fourth protrusion, and its swing arm latch 430 will remain within the latch 620, preventing unlocking. This effectively prevents accidental unlocking due to minor collisions or accidental contact (such as collisions during transport), avoiding damage caused by the pallet 600 accidentally extending, and improving equipment safety.

[0054] Both schemes ensure tooth profile accuracy through mold processing. After assembly, rotation tests are conducted to verify the linkage and synchronization between ratchet 321 and the concave and convex teeth, ensuring no jamming or misalignment.

[0055] Example (3): Implementation of travel limit for tray 600. Through the structural design of sliding groove 220 and U-shaped limit groove 221, the locking or unlocking travel of tray 600 is precisely controlled to prevent deviation of the sliding trajectory.

[0056] Based on the basic structure of Embodiment 1, the sliding groove 220 of the bottom cover 200 is optimized: the sliding groove 220 is opened along the length of the bottom cover 200, and its cross-section is rectangular. It forms a clearance fit with the sliders on both sides of the beginning end of the tray 600. The sliders provide a stable guiding effect to ensure smooth sliding of the tray 600. A U-shaped limiting groove 221 is integrally formed at the beginning end of the sliding groove 220 (the end near the accommodating compartment 210). The opening of the U-shaped limiting groove 221 faces the tray 600, and its length is determined by precise calculation: it is equal to the travel distance of the tray 600 corresponding to the ratchet wheel 320 being rotated by the pawl 720 of the ratchet 700 by one ratchet tooth 321.

[0057] Specific dimension calculation: Based on the number of teeth N and pitch circle diameter D of ratchet 320, the central angle θ corresponding to a single ratchet tooth 321 is calculated as 360° / N. Then, the arc length L required for the pawl 720 to push the ratchet 320 to rotate one ratchet tooth 321 is obtained as πDθ / 360°. This arc length is the travel of the tray 600. The length of the U-shaped limiting groove 221 is set as L to ensure that when the tray 600 moves to the end of the U-shaped limiting groove 221, the ratchet 320 rotates exactly one ratchet tooth 321, thus achieving precise travel control.

[0058] During assembly, the beginning end of the pallet 600 elastically abuts against the opening of the U-shaped limiting groove 221. During the sliding process, the opening of the U-shaped limiting groove 221 limits the pallet 600, preventing the pallet 600 from being pushed too far and causing the pawl 720 to travel too much. Within this travel, the pawl 720 and the ratchet 321 are always kept in the correct meshing posture.

[0059] Example (4): Installation method of the second elastic element 222. The installation design of the second elastic element 222 in the U-shaped limiting groove 221 is carried out to ensure the stable operation of the elastic element and avoid displacement.

[0060] Based on the U-shaped limiting groove 221 in embodiment (III), the following optimizations are made: A cylindrical receiving groove is provided at the bottom of the U-shaped limiting groove 221. The shape of the receiving groove matches the end shape of the second elastic member 222. The receiving groove contains the second elastic member 222 (e.g., a compression spring). One end of the second elastic member 222 is embedded in the receiving groove, and the other end abuts against the starting end face of the tray 600. The second elastic member 222 is used to provide reset assistance for the tray 600. The distance between the two inner sidewalls of the U-shaped limiting groove 221 is set to be less than or equal to the diameter of the second elastic member 222, specifically 0.95 to 1.0 times the diameter of the elastic member. The sidewalls form a radial limit on the second elastic member 222, preventing the second elastic member 222 from shifting laterally or bending during compression or reset. The length setting of the U-shaped limiting groove 221 precisely couples the mechanical movement with the rotation of the ratchet 320, so that each effective push can accurately correspond to a division of the ratchet 320, ensuring reliable triggering of the locking / unlocking action.

[0061] After assembly, the working state of the elastic component is tested by reciprocating the pallet 600 to ensure that there is no jamming or offset and that the elastic reset effect is consistent.

[0062] Example (5): Installation and limiting implementation of the swing arm 400. The installation structure of the swing arm 400 is optimized to achieve left and right limiting of the swing arm 400, and solve the problems of tilting, severe wear and abnormal friction noise of the swing arm 400.

[0063] Based on the top cover 100 and the swing arm 400 of Embodiment (I), the following design is made: Figure 8 As shown, a swing arm mounting groove 110 is provided on the top cover 100. The swing arm mounting groove 110 is a rectangular groove, and its width is slightly larger than the width of the swing arm pivot 410. The swing arm pivot 410 adopts a cylindrical structure, and its width (axial length) is larger than the width of the swing arm body 400.

[0064] With this design, the left and right directions of the swing arm 400 are strictly limited by the swing arm pivot 410. During the swing, only the pivot contacts the groove wall. The support surface is flat and the force is evenly distributed. This effectively avoids the tilting, wear and friction noise of the swing arm 400, ensuring stable operation and long service life of the swing arm 400.

[0065] Example (6): Anti-interference implementation of ratchet 700, optimizing the installation and avoidance design of ratchet 700 to avoid frictional interference between pawl 720 and other components, ensuring smooth movement.

[0066] Based on the ratchet 700 and bottom cover 200 of Embodiment (I), the following improvements are made: The ratchet 700 is installed in the ratchet mounting groove at the beginning of the tray 600 via the ratchet pivot 710, and the ratchet 700 can swing around the ratchet pivot 710 at a small angle. A ratchet clearance groove 730 is provided at the position of the pawl 720. The ratchet clearance groove 730 is a groove that matches the running trajectory of the ratchet 321. It is provided above the corresponding position of the pawl 720 and the ratchet 321 of the ratchet 700 to avoid the top of the ratchet 321, thus preventing interference or scratching between the ratchet 321 and the pawl 720 during the rotation of the compound ratchet 300.

[0067] On the surface of the bottom cover 200, a groove is provided corresponding to the movement trajectory of the pawl 720. The groove is a long strip-shaped groove whose length covers the movement path of the pawl 720 from its initial position to when it pushes the ratchet 320 to rotate to its maximum angle. The width is 0.3 to 0.5 mm greater than the width of the pawl 720, and the depth is 1 to 2 mm, providing sufficient space for the pawl 720 to swing.

[0068] After assembly, when the ratchet 700 moves with the pallet 600, the pawl 720 moves in the groove, and the ratchet clearance groove 730 avoids the top of the ratchet 321, ensuring that the pawl 720 and the ratchet 321 mesh smoothly without friction or interference, and with low movement resistance.

[0069] Example (7): Elastic stability implementation of compound ratchet 300. The compound ratchet 300 is rotatably installed in the housing 210 through the compound ratchet shaft 322, and a third elastic element 340 is provided to provide elastic support for the compound ratchet 300, thereby enhancing its axial stability during rotation and preventing tooth meshing deviation.

[0070] Based on the composite ratchet 300 and bottom cover 200 in embodiment (1), a third elastic element 340 is added, and the following structural design is carried out: a first groove is provided on one side of the composite ratchet 300. The first groove is an annular groove, and its diameter matches the diameter of the third elastic element 340, which is used to accommodate one end of the third elastic element 340.

[0071] The inner wall of the starting end accommodating compartment 210 of the bottom cover 200 is provided with a spring accommodating cavity. The depth of the spring accommodating cavity is 1 / 3 to 1 / 2 of the free length of the third elastic member 340, and is used to fix the other end of the third elastic member 340.

[0072] During assembly, one end of the third elastic element 340 is embedded in the first groove of the composite ratchet 300, and the other end is installed in the spring receiving cavity of the bottom cover 200. The third elastic element 340 is in a pre-compressed state, continuously applying axial pressure to the composite ratchet 300, so that the other end face of the composite ratchet 300 is in close contact with the other side wall of the receiving chamber 210, eliminating axial movement gap, enhancing its overall radial stability during rotation, and preventing poor meshing between the convex and concave gears 310 and the rocker arm convex teeth 420 due to axial sway.

[0073] Example (8): Implementation of anti-reverse installation and emergency locking method for composite ratchet 300. Through the design of blind hole and through hole, the composite ratchet 300 is prevented from being installed backwards, and the conditions for use of emergency locking mechanism are provided.

[0074] Based on the composite ratchet 300 and bottom cover 200 in embodiment (1), the following structural design is carried out: a blind hole is provided on the other side of the composite ratchet 300, and the blind hole is a cylindrical hole.

[0075] The bottom cover 200 has through holes at corresponding positions on the wall of the receiving compartment 210. Figure 1 As shown (unlabeled), the through hole is a cylindrical hole whose axis coincides with the axis of the blind hole, and whose diameter is the same as that of the blind hole.

[0076] Anti-reverse assembly function: During assembly, if the compound ratchet 300 is installed backwards, and the blind hole cannot be aligned with the through hole, it is determined to be installed backwards, thus ensuring the correctness of the assembly.

[0077] Emergency locking function: When an emergency locking mechanism is required, a special metal pin (with a diameter matching the through hole) is inserted into the blind hole through the through hole. The length of the metal pin is greater than the sum of the depths of the through hole and the blind hole. After insertion, the metal pin fixes the compound ratchet 300, preventing it from rotating, thereby achieving emergency locking of the mechanism and disabling the entire locking and unlocking mechanism.

[0078] Example (IX): Guided implementation of tray 600 slot 620. The structural design of tray 600 slot 620 is optimized. The inclined surface guides the end of swing rod 400 to smoothly enter slot 620, improving the smoothness of locking action and alignment accuracy.

[0079] Based on the slot 620 of the tray 600 in Embodiment (I), the following improvements are made: a protrusion is provided at the beginning (entry end) of the slot 620 at the beginning of the tray 600, and the protrusion is integrally formed with the tray 600. The side of the protrusion facing the rocker arm 400 is set as an inclined surface, the inclination angle of the inclined surface is 30° to 60°, and the surface is smooth to ensure that the rocker arm locking block 430 can slide smoothly.

[0080] When the rocker arm 400 swings toward the slot 620 under the action of the first elastic element 500, the rocker arm block 430 at the end of the rocker arm 400 first contacts the inclined surface of the protrusion. Under the guidance of the inclined surface, the rocker arm block 430 slides along the inclined surface and accurately enters the slot 620. Even if there is a slight misalignment between the rocker arm block 430 and the slot 620, it can be corrected by the guidance of the inclined surface.

[0081] This design significantly improves the smoothness of the locking action, achieving 100% alignment accuracy and avoiding locking failure caused by the lever block 430 failing to smoothly enter the slot 620.

[0082] Example (10): Gravity-guided implementation of ratchet 700. By designing the weight distribution of ratchet 700, gravity is used to ensure that the meshing posture of ratchet 700 and ratchet tooth 321 of compound ratchet 300 is consistent, avoiding pushing jamming or misalignment.

[0083] Based on the ratchet 700 in Embodiment (I), the following design is made: the weight of the working end of the ratchet 700 (the end with the pawl 720) is greater than that of the other end. Specifically, an asymmetrical structural design is adopted to make the volume of the working end of the ratchet 700 greater than that of the other end, so as to ensure that the weight of the working end is greater.

[0084] like Figure 1 As shown, in one embodiment, the bottom of the ratchet mounting groove extends toward the ratchet 700 to form an elastic tongue 610, and the end of the elastic tongue 610 abuts against the other end of the ratchet 700.

[0085] Through the above design, under normal conditions, the ratchet 700 always maintains the downward engagement of the pawl 720 with the ratchet tooth 321 due to gravity. When the mechanism is tilted or even flipped, and gravity is lost, the elasticity of the elastic tongue 610 prevents weightlessness, ensuring that the ratchet 700 always maintains the engagement of the pawl 720 with the ratchet tooth 321. Therefore, regardless of the installation angle or movement state of the mechanism, the meshing posture of the pawl 720 and the ratchet tooth 321 remains consistent, and there will be no situation such as the pawl 720 lifting or misalignment, ensuring smooth and unobstructed operation when pushing the compound ratchet 300, and high meshing accuracy.

[0086] Example (XI): Double limiting implementation of tray 600. By cooperating with the sliding part and the stop block 223, the sliding trajectory of tray 600 is double-limited to prevent it from sliding overtravel or deviating and colliding.

[0087] Based on the tray 600 and bottom cover 200 in embodiment (1), the following optimizations are made: sliding parts are integrally protruded on both sides of the beginning end of the tray 600. The sliding parts are rectangular protrusions, and their outer surfaces are in contact with the inner wall of the sliding groove 220. The contact surfaces are treated with wear-resistant material spraying (such as polytetrafluoroethylene coating) to reduce sliding friction.

[0088] The end of the sliding groove 220 extends inward to form a stop block 223, which is integrally formed with the bottom cover 200. Its cross-section is rectangular or triangular with good structural strength. The end of the sliding part of the tray 600 is machined with a step, and the end face of the step is parallel to the end face of the stop block 223.

[0089] When the pallet 600 moves to its maximum stroke at the end of the sliding groove 220, the end step of the sliding part contacts the stop block 223. The stop block 223 axially limits the pallet 600, physically preventing the pallet 600 from moving further backward. At the same time, the cooperation between the sliding part and the inner wall of the sliding groove 220 forms a radial limit, preventing the pallet 600 from shifting left and right and colliding. This achieves double limit protection, ensuring the precise and safe operation of the mechanism and guaranteeing the reliable triggering of the locking / unlocking action.

[0090] Example (12): Implementation of automatic locking and unlocking operation method. This example provides an automatic locking and unlocking operation method using the above-mentioned mechanism, which achieves the effect of continuous and controllable locking and unlocking actions without the need for continuous external power.

[0091] The operation method includes the following steps: 1. Pushing the tray (600 steps) The operator pushes the tray 600 toward the accommodating compartment 210 of the bottom cover 200. The tray 600 slides smoothly along the sliding groove 220 of the bottom cover 200. The tray 600 drives the ratchet 700 installed on it to move synchronously until the pawl 720 at the beginning of the ratchet 700 contacts the ratchet tooth 321 of the compound ratchet 300. During this process, the tray 600 slides smoothly without jamming.

[0092] 2. Compound ratchet 300 rotation steps A continuous thrust is applied to the tray 600, and the pawl 720 generates a circumferential thrust on the ratchet 321. Under the action of the thrust, the compound ratchet 300 rotates around its own axis, and the convex and concave gears 310 of the compound ratchet 300 rotate synchronously with the ratchet 320. The rotation process is smooth and there is no meshing misalignment.

[0093] 3. Steps for rotating the pendulum 400 degrees When the convex and concave gear 310 rotates, its contour surface (the edge of the protrusion 312 or the concave 311) contacts the rocker arm protrusion 420 at the beginning of the rocker arm 400 and pushes the rocker arm protrusion 420 to move, causing the rocker arm 400 to rotate around the rocker arm pivot 410. The first elastic element 500 above the rocker arm 400 is compressed and undergoes elastic deformation, storing elastic potential energy.

[0094] 4. Tray 600 locking procedure When the compound ratchet 300 rotates to a preset angle (determined by the ratio of ratchet 321 to the concave and convex teeth), the rocker arm locking block 430 at the end of the rocker arm 400 moves into the slot 620 at the beginning of the tray 600. Under the elastic restoring force of the first elastic element 500, the rocker arm locking block 430 and the slot 620 are tightly engaged, completing the automatic locking of the tray 600. After locking, the tray 600 is firmly fixed and there is no loosening.

[0095] 5. Tray 600 Unlocking Steps The tray 600 is pushed towards the accommodating compartment 210 again, and the pawl 720 continues to push the compound ratchet 300 to rotate. When the recess 311 of the convex and concave gear 310 rotates to the position of the rocker arm tooth 420, the rocker arm tooth 420 moves into the recess 311 of the convex and concave gear 310. The first elastic element 500 resets and releases elastic potential energy, causing the rocker arm 400 to rotate in the opposite direction. The rocker arm locking block 430 at the end of the rocker arm 400 disengages from the locking slot 620, completing the automatic unlocking of the tray 600. After unlocking, the tray 600 can move freely.

[0096] Through the above steps, locking and unlocking can be completed by pushing the tray 600 twice without continuous external power input. The action is smooth and controllable, which solves the problem of existing technology relying on continuous external power and having inconsistent locking and unlocking actions.

[0097] Example (13): Implementation of Limiting the Maximum Travel of Pallet 600. This method limits the maximum travel of pallet 600, solves the problem of component collision damage caused by excessive sliding of pallet 600, and improves the safety of the mechanism.

[0098] Using the operation method of Embodiment (XII), in the step of pushing the pallet 600, the sliding stroke of the pallet 600 is limited as follows: the sliding part of the pallet 600 slides along the inner wall of the sliding groove 220. During the sliding process, the sliding part is in close contact with the inner wall of the sliding groove 220, and the guidance is precise. When the pallet 600 moves to its maximum stroke, the step of the sliding part contacts the stop block 223 of the sliding groove 220. The stop block 223 generates a blocking force on the step, preventing the pallet 600 from continuing to move. At this time, the pallet 600 stops moving.

[0099] The maximum stroke setting is determined based on the installation position of the internal components of the mechanism, ensuring that when the pallet 600 stops, components such as the pawl 720, compound ratchet 300, and swing arm 400 are all in a safe position without mutual collision or squeezing. This effectively avoids component damage caused by the overtravel of the pallet 600, and improves the safety and service life of the mechanism.

[0100] Example (XIV): Precise implementation of ratchet 700 engagement, ensuring precise engagement between pawl 720 and ratchet 321, solving the problems of misalignment and stuck push, and achieving smooth push.

[0101] Using the operation method of Embodiment (XII), the following design is implemented in the rotation step of the compound ratchet 300: the heavier end of the ratchet 700 (the end with the pawl 720) first contacts the tip of the ratchet 321. Specifically, this is achieved through the gravity-guided design of Embodiment (X). The weight of the working end of the ratchet 700 is greater than that of the other end. Under the action of gravity, the pawl 720 always maintains a downward posture and contacts the tip of the ratchet 321 first. When the mechanism is tilted or even flipped, and gravity is lost, the elasticity of the elastic tongue 610 is used to prevent weightlessness, so that the ratchet 700 always maintains the posture of the pawl 720 adhering to the ratchet 321.

[0102] Upon contact, the tray 600 is continuously pushed, and the pawl 720 slides along the peak of the ratchet 321 to the valley of the tooth, thereby driving the compound ratchet 300 to rotate from the lower ratchet 321. At this time, the rocker arm convex tooth 420 of the rocker arm 400 corresponds to the top position of the compound ratchet 300, ensuring precise meshing between the convex tooth and the cam-gear 310 and avoiding misalignment.

[0103] With this design, the meshing accuracy of the pawl 720 and the ratchet 321 is significantly improved, with no meshing misalignment or jamming, smooth pushing process, and high stability of mechanism operation.

[0104] Although embodiments of this application have been shown and described, it will be understood by those skilled in the art that various changes, modifications, substitutions and variations can be made to these embodiments without departing from the principles and spirit of this application, the scope of which is defined by the appended claims and their equivalents.

Claims

1. An automatic locking and unlocking mechanism, characterized in that, include: Top cover (100), bottom cover (200), compound ratchet (300), swing arm (400), first elastic element (500), tray (600) and ratchet (700); The composite ratchet (300) is located in the accommodating compartment (210) at the beginning of the bottom cover (200). The composite ratchet (300) includes a coaxially stacked convex and concave gear (310) and a ratchet (320). The tooth valleys of the ratchet teeth (321) of the ratchet (320) are respectively matched and correspond to the center lines of the protrusions (312) and the recesses (311) of the convex and concave gears (310). The swing arm (400) is movably mounted on the top cover (100) via the swing arm pivot (410). The upper end of the swing arm (400) abuts against the first elastic element (500). The protruding teeth at the beginning of the swing arm (400) can mesh with the recess (311) of the convex and concave gear (310). The tray (600) is slidably disposed on the bottom cover (200); The ratchet (700) is located at the beginning of the tray (600). The pawl (720) at the beginning of the ratchet (700) can cooperate with the ratchet tooth (321) to drive the compound ratchet (300) to rotate, thereby driving the swing arm (400) to rotate around the swing arm pivot (410). Then, through the cooperation of the convex and concave gear (310) and the convex tooth, the swing arm (400) is driven to swing around the swing arm pivot (410), so that the swing arm locking block (430) at the end of the swing arm (400) engages or disengages from the slot (620) of the tray (600), thereby completing the automatic locking or unlocking of the tray (600).

2. The automatic locking and unlocking mechanism according to claim 1, characterized in that, The tooth valleys of the ratchet (321) are evenly arranged circumferentially. The ratio of the number of protrusions (312) of the convex gear (310) to the number of tooth valleys of the ratchet (321) is 1:

2. The tooth shape of the corresponding convex gear (310) includes concave (311) and protrusions (312) arranged sequentially along the circumferential direction.

3. The automatic locking and unlocking mechanism according to claim 1, characterized in that, The bottom cover (200) is provided with a sliding groove (220), and the tray (600) is slidably installed in the sliding groove (220). The beginning end of the sliding groove (220) is provided with a U-shaped limiting groove (221). The length of the U-shaped limiting groove (221) is equal to the stroke corresponding to the ratchet (700) pushing the ratchet (320) to rotate one ratchet tooth (321).

4. The automatic locking and unlocking mechanism according to claim 3, characterized in that, The U-shaped limiting groove (221) is provided with a second elastic element (222). The distance between the two inner sidewalls of the U-shaped limiting groove (221) is less than or equal to the width of the second elastic element (222). The bottom of the U-shaped limiting groove (221) is provided with a receiving groove that matches the shape of the second elastic element (222).

5. The automatic locking and unlocking mechanism according to claim 1, characterized in that, The top cover (100) has a swing arm mounting groove (110), the width of the swing arm pivot (410) is greater than the width of the swing arm (400), and the two ends of the swing arm pivot (410) are respectively attached to the inner sidewall of the swing arm mounting groove (110).

6. The automatic locking and unlocking mechanism according to claim 1, characterized in that, The ratchet (700) is installed in the ratchet mounting groove at the beginning of the tray (600) via the ratchet pivot (710). A ratchet clearance groove (730) is provided at the location of the pawl (720). A sliding groove matching the movement trajectory of the pawl (720) is provided on the surface of the bottom cover (200).

7. The automatic locking and unlocking mechanism according to claim 1, characterized in that, It also includes a third elastic element (340), one side of the composite ratchet (300) is provided with a first groove that matches the diameter of the third elastic element (340), the inner wall of the receiving compartment (210) at the beginning of the bottom cover (200) is provided with a spring receiving cavity, and the third elastic element (340) is housed between the first groove and the spring receiving cavity.

8. The automatic locking and unlocking mechanism according to claim 1, characterized in that, A blind hole is provided on the other side of the composite ratchet (300), and a through hole is provided at the corresponding position of the wall of the receiving compartment (210) at the beginning of the bottom cover (200).

9. A document inspection device, characterized in that, It includes a housing, and the bottom of the housing is embedded with an automatic locking and unlocking mechanism as described in any one of claims 1 to 8.

10. An operating method for an automatic locking and unlocking mechanism, applied to the mechanism as described in any one of claims 1 to 8, characterized in that, Includes the following steps: Pushing the pallet: Push the pallet (600) along the sliding groove (220) of the bottom cover (200) towards the accommodating compartment (210). The pallet (600) drives the ratchet (700) installed on it to move synchronously. The pawl (720) at the beginning of the ratchet (700) contacts the ratchet tooth (321) of the compound ratchet (300). Compound ratchet rotation steps: continuously push the tray (600), the pawl (720) applies a thrust to the ratchet (321), causing the compound ratchet (300) to rotate around its own axis, and the convex and concave gears (310) of the compound ratchet (300) rotate synchronously; The rocker arm rotation steps: When the convex gear (310) rotates, its contour surface pushes the convex tooth at the beginning of the rocker arm (400) to move, the rocker arm (400) rotates around the rocker arm pivot (410), and the first elastic element (500) above the rocker arm (400) deforms; Tray locking steps: When the compound ratchet (300) rotates to the preset angle, the rocker arm block (430) at the end of the rocker arm (400) moves into the slot (620) at the beginning of the tray (600) and engages, thus completing the automatic locking of the tray (600); Tray unlocking steps: Push the tray (600) again, the pawl (720) continues to push the compound ratchet (300) to rotate, the convex tooth moves into the recess (311) of the convex-concave gear (310), the first elastic element (500) resets, driving the swing arm (400) to rotate in the opposite direction, the swing arm block (430) disengages from the slot (620), and the automatic unlocking of the tray (600) is completed.

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