Annular Knob Connector Assembly for Weightlifting Equipment
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing weightlifting apparatuses face challenges in securely attaching and quickly detaching devices due to size differences among users and personal preferences, requiring a solution that ensures secure attachment and easy removal.
Innovation Solution
A connector assembly featuring a shaft with first and second annular knobs, where the first knob is fixed and the second is releasably engaged, allowing for axial movement and secure attachment to a frame member, along with spacers that engage the annular slots to provide additional stability and ease of use.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If devices are securely attached to the frame member, then attachment reliability is improved, but device removal time increases
Solution Approach 1:
The connector assembly is divided into separate components: a shaft with multiple annular knobs at different positions. Each knob can be independently manipulated to attach or detach devices at specific locations, allowing secure attachment while enabling quick release by manipulating individual knobs rather than the entire assembly.
Solution Approach 2:
The annular knobs are designed to be movable along the shaft, transitioning between engaged and disengaged states. This dynamic capability allows the connector to switch between a secure locked state for reliable attachment and a released state for quick device removal, resolving the contradiction between stability and ease of operation.
2Adaptability or versatility
If devices are attached at different locations to accommodate user preferences, then adaptability is improved, but attachment security decreases
Solution Approach 1:
The shaft serves multiple functions: it provides a stable connection point when devices are attached, enables quick release when needed, and allows attachment at various positions along its length. The multiple annular knobs distributed at different positions on the shaft enable versatile device placement while maintaining secure attachment through the unified shaft structure.
3Ease of operation
If quick release mechanism is implemented, then ease of operation is improved, but attachment reliability worsens
Solution Approach 1:
The annular knobs act as intermediary elements between the user and the shaft. They provide a convenient interface for quick manipulation and device release while maintaining a secure connection to the shaft when engaged. The knobs transmit user force to the shaft for quick release but distribute load effectively during secure attachment, resolving the contradiction between ease of operation and attachment reliability.
Data Source
AI summary
A connector assembly includes a shaft and a first annular knob fixed to the shaft and a second annular knob releasably engaged with the shaft. Each of the first and second annular knobs includes a front face, a face, and a central passage that receives the shaft. The central passage has first, second, and third sections. The width of each first section is greater than the width of the third section, and the width of the second section is greater than the width of the first section. The second section defines an annular slot between the first and third sections.