Adjustable Connector Arced Aperture Urethane Webbing

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Solution Overview

Problem

Conventional adjustable connectors struggle with urethane coated webbing due to its stiffness and high coefficient of friction, making it difficult to adjust and clean, which has hindered its widespread adoption in patient harness systems.

Innovation Solution

An adjustable connector design featuring a rotatable lock bar with textured surface and arced webbing aperture, allowing for improved adjustability and ease of cleaning by enabling the connector to slide and rotate along the webbing, while maintaining safety standards.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Ease of manufacture

If urethane coated webbing is used in harness systems, then ease of cleaning is improved, but ease of operation deteriorates due to increased stiffness and friction

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveease of cleaningVSAvoidadjustability

Core Design Contradiction:

Ease of manufactureVSEase of operation

Solution Approach 1:

The patent changes the surface parameters of the lock bar by adding a textured surface with increased surface area and altered friction characteristics. This allows the connector to grip the urethane coated webbing effectively during adjustment while maintaining the cleaning benefits of the coated webbing.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #35Parameter changes

Solution Approach 2:

The textured surface acts as an intermediary between the metal lock bar and the urethane coated webbing, mediating the interaction to provide sufficient friction for adjustment while preventing slippage. The texture pattern creates micro-grip points that facilitate controlled movement along the webbing.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

2Strength

If conventional metal connectors are used with urethane coated webbing, then strength is maintained, but ease of operation deteriorates due to high friction

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveconnector strengthVSAvoidadjustability

Core Design Contradiction:

StrengthVSEase of operation

Solution Approach 1:

The patent applies local quality by texturing only the specific contact surfaces of the lock bar that interact with the webbing, while maintaining the smooth, strong metal structure throughout the rest of the connector body. This localized treatment provides the necessary friction for adjustment without compromising overall connector strength.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #3Local quality

Solution Approach 2:

The textured surface creates dynamic friction characteristics that allow controlled movement during adjustment but provide secure locking when force is applied. The surface texture enables the connector to transition between movable and locked states effectively.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #15Dynamics

Data Source

PatentUS10897964B1Adjustable connectors for use with webbing of patient harness systems and other types of safety belt systems

Publication Date: 2021.01.26 INTERTEK IND CORP

AI summary

Adjustable connectors disclosed herein are adapted to connect webbing, e.g., urethane coated webbing, to a buckle. The adjustable connector includes a baseplate, a tongue at a front end of the baseplate, a webbing aperture within the baseplate, and first and second walls extending perpendicularly from the baseplate. In certain embodiments, the adjustable connector includes a rotatable lock bar including a central portion having an outer surface and first and second tabs. In certain embodiments, a front edge of the webbing aperture comprises an arced front edge extending between side edges of the webbing aperture such that a distance between a center of the arced front edge of the webbing aperture and a back edge of the webbing aperture is greater than a respective distance between each of the ends of the arced front edge and the back edge of the webbing aperture.