Ball and Socket Joint with Pin Locking for Rattle Reduction
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Current ball and socket joints used in collapsible structures, such as bimini tops, face issues like rattling, limited adjustability, high cost, weight, and low pull-out resistance, which can lead to safety concerns and structural failure due to improper attachment and material constraints.
Innovation Solution
A joint design featuring a ball portion, forked portion, and pin that allows adjustable axis rotation, with a ball and socket connection that can be securely attached and disengaged, made from lightweight materials like acetal homopolymer resin or stainless steel to reduce rattling and enhance pull-out resistance.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If traditional ball and socket joints are used to accommodate irregular junctions with varying rotation angles, then adaptability to different marine vehicle profiles is improved, but the joint allows rattling and free movement which increases wear and failure risk
Solution Approach 1:
The joint incorporates a locking mechanism that transitions between locked and unlocked states. When locked, the joint maintains a fixed angular relationship between structural members, eliminating rattling and preventing wear. When unlocked, the joint allows adjustment to accommodate different marine vehicle profiles. This dynamic state change resolves the contradiction by providing both adaptability and reliability at different operational phases.
2Strength
If ball and socket joints are made from heavy metal materials to increase strength and pull-out resistance, then joint strength is improved, but the overall weight of the collapsible structure increases
Solution Approach 1:
The joint utilizes composite construction combining aluminum extrusions with strategic metal reinforcement only at critical load-bearing points. The aluminum bodies provide lightweight structural support while metal inserts or fasteners provide concentrated strength and pull-out resistance where needed. This composite approach achieves the required strength without the excessive weight of fully metal joints.
3Reliability
If ball and socket joints are permanently affixed to structures to increase reliability, then joint stability is improved, but the ability to adjust or relocate the joint is lost
Solution Approach 1:
The joint employs a reversible locking mechanism that allows the joint to be securely attached to structures when needed while maintaining the ability to be relocated or adjusted. The locking mechanism provides reliable attachment during normal operation but can be easily disengaged to reposition the joint, thus resolving the contradiction between permanent affixation and adjustability.
4Manufacturing precision
If complex machining and installation processes are used to create accurate ball and socket joints, then manufacturing precision is improved, but production cost and complexity increase
Solution Approach 1:
The joint design segments the structure into modular components that can be manufactured using standard extrusion and fabrication processes rather than complex machining. The ball and socket interfaces are designed as separate elements that assemble together with predetermined geometric relationships, achieving accurate rotation axes through design rather than precision machining of monolithic parts.
Data Source
AI summary
A joint between two structures to allow the structures to be rotatably, connected at a variety of angles while increasing the pull-out resistance and decreasing rattling. The joint has a first portion connected to a structure and a second portion connected to a structure. The first and second portions are also connected to one another via a ball and socket connection and a pin.