Ball Clutch Locking Mechanism for Compact Height Adjustment
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional ball coupling adjustment mechanisms are complex, require high forces for unlocking and adjustment, and occupy a lot of space, making them difficult to handle and unreliable for safe force absorption during driving.
Innovation Solution
A compact locking mechanism with two guide grooves, a locking bolt, a rotatable control body, and a handle that allows easy one-handed operation, featuring a handle return spring and a link groove to guide the movement, ensuring secure locking and unlocking without accidental adjustments.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If a conventional adjustment mechanism is used to enable manual height adjustment of the ball coupling, then the mounting height can be adjusted between trips, but the mechanism becomes complex to handle, requires high forces for unlocking and adjustment, and occupies a lot of space
Solution Approach 1:
The locking mechanism is divided into separate functional components: a locking bolt for securing the position, a control body for actuation, and a handle for user operation. This segmentation allows each component to perform its specific function efficiently, reducing overall complexity while maintaining adjustability.
Solution Approach 2:
Instead of requiring complex mechanical systems to maintain locking, the invention uses a simple spring-loaded bolt that automatically locks into guide groove notches. The control body and handle provide a straightforward rotational motion that either engages or disengages the locking bolt, inverting the complexity from the locking function to a simple on/off control mechanism.
2Adaptability or versatility
If a conventional adjustment mechanism is used, then height adjustment is possible, but the mechanism requires high forces for unlocking and adjustment
Solution Approach 1:
The locking bolt is spring-loaded and automatically engages with the guide groove notches without requiring external force. The spring provides the locking force automatically, and the control body mechanism uses a lever action with the handle to easily overcome this spring force during unlocking, minimizing the force the user must apply.
Solution Approach 2:
The control body rotates about an axis, converting rotational motion into linear displacement of the locking bolt. This rotational mechanism provides mechanical advantage, allowing small forces applied to the handle to generate sufficient force to overcome the spring-loaded locking bolt and achieve unlocking.
3Adaptability or versatility
If a conventional adjustment mechanism is used, then height adjustment is possible, but the mechanism occupies a lot of space
Solution Approach 1:
The control body is positioned within the main body of the locking mechanism, and the handle rotates within the control body's rotational path. The locking bolt moves along the adjustment axis within the confines of the guide grooves. This nested arrangement minimizes the overall volume occupied by the mechanism while maintaining all necessary adjustment functions.
Solution Approach 2:
The control body rotates about an axis that is perpendicular to the adjustment axis, utilizing a different spatial dimension for the control mechanism. This allows the locking and unlocking functions to be achieved through rotational motion in one dimension while the locking bolt moves linearly in another dimension, optimizing space utilization.
4Volume of moving object
If a compact locking mechanism is designed to minimize space requirements, then space is reduced, but the mechanism must still reliably absorb forces while driving and prevent accidental unlocking
Solution Approach 1:
The spring-loaded locking bolt is pre-loaded with spring force that maintains constant pressure against the guide groove notches. This pre-loading ensures that the locking mechanism is always ready to absorb forces in any direction, providing reliable force absorption and preventing accidental unlocking before forces are even applied during driving.
Solution Approach 2:
The locking bolt serves multiple functions simultaneously: it provides the locking engagement with the guide groove notches, absorbs longitudinal forces through its spring loading, and prevents accidental unlocking through its biased engagement. The control body and handle are merged into a single rotational actuation mechanism that controls both locking and unlocking functions, reducing the number of separate components needed.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
The mechanism provides reliable force absorption, easy handling, and a cost-effective structure, minimizing space requirements while ensuring safety and preventing unintentional unlocking.
Implementation Method 1
the handle prevents rotation of the control body in the starting position
Implementation Method 2
the locking bolt being insertable into a locking opening provided in the one guide groove, so that it prevents a relative movement in the direction of the adjustment axis
Implementation Method 3
a control body rotatable about an axis of rotation and coupled to the locking bolt such that rotation of the control body causes displacement of the locking bolt
Data Source
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AI summary
A locking mechanism for a ball coupling, which can be attached to a vehicle provided with two guide grooves, is disclosed, the locking mechanism comprising: - a main body (10) with two parallel guide surfaces (12) which can be inserted into the two parallel guide grooves in order to be slidable therein along an adjustment axis (X); - a locking bolt (20) which is slidable relative to the main body (10) along a bolt longitudinal axis (Y), wherein the locking bolt (20) can be inserted into a locking opening provided in one of the guide grooves, so that it prevents a relative movement in the direction of the adjustment axis (X) between one of the guide grooves and the corresponding one of the guide surfaces (12);- a control body (30) rotatable about a pivot axis (Z) and coupled to the locking bolt (20) such that rotation of the control body (30) causes displacement of the locking bolt (20); and - a handle (40) provided on the control body (30) and displaceable in a plane parallel to a side face of the control body (30) between a starting position and a release position; wherein - the control body (30) is rotatable between a locked position in which the locking bolt (20) is inserted in the locking opening and an unlocked position in which the locking bolt (20) is not inserted in the locking opening.;