Bidirectional Ball Locking Mechanism for Shaft Grip Without Damage
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing hand-operated locking mechanisms for bars or poles are not versatile enough to securely lock in either direction and may damage the shaft due to excessive friction, and they lack a simple and effective method for easy installation and removal.
Innovation Solution
A compact locking mechanism with a hollow inner cylinder and two rows of apertures for ball bearings, featuring wavy springs as biasing members and integral or separate radial inclines, allowing the mechanism to be installed in either direction and securely lock onto a shaft while preventing damage by adjusting the ball engagement based on the installation orientation.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If steel balls are used to frictionally engage the shaft, then the locking mechanism can securely lock to the shaft, but the balls may put small dents in the shaft or bar
Solution Approach 1:
The patent changes the material parameter of the balls from steel to softer materials such as brass, copper, bronze, or plastic. This parameter change allows the balls to maintain sufficient frictional engagement with the shaft for secure locking while being soft enough to prevent denting or damaging the shaft surface.
2Reliability
If the locking mechanism is designed to lock in one direction only, then the ball engagement can be optimized, but the mechanism cannot be installed in either direction on a bar or pole
Solution Approach 1:
The patent employs asymmetric incline surfaces on the tension ring that are angled in opposite directions on different sides of the ring. This asymmetric design allows the mechanism to function correctly regardless of which direction it is installed on the shaft, providing versatility while maintaining reliable locking through the inclined plane mechanism that guides ball engagement.
3Reliability
If the balls are biased strongly by spring and tensioning ring to project into the cylinder, then the lock holds tightly to the shaft, but the balls cannot be easily retracted for removal or relocation
Solution Approach 1:
The patent uses a dynamic system where the tension ring can be flexed or deformed by applying force through handles or levers. This dynamic action temporarily reduces the biasing force on the balls, allowing them to retract from their projecting positions so the cylinder can slide on the shaft. When the applied force is released, the spring and tension ring return to their biased state, causing the balls to project again and lock the shaft securely.
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 a secure frictional fit in either direction, withstands significant force, and allows easy installation and removal without damaging the shaft, making it suitable for various applications including weight collars, poles, and rigging systems.
Implementation Method 1
Biasing members, preferably in the form wavy springs which encircle the inner hollow cylinder, cause side 1 and side 2 of the locking mechanism to move back together when the clamping action ceases
Implementation Method 2
The balls are biased by a spring and tensioning ring combination to project into the cylinder and to frictionally engage the shaft when the locking mechanisms are in the locked position
Implementation Method 3
Two sets of oppositely angled inclines on the inner surfaces of side 1 and side 2 of the locking mechanism, are aligned with the two rows of apertures in the hollow cylinder. In operation, the balls ride up the inclined surfaces and are caused to project out the apertures
Data Source
AI summary
A lock mechanism which can be placed on a shaft, such as a bar or pole, in either a first direction or second direction, is secured to the shaft using two sets of balls which project out of apertures in an inner cylinder to frictionally engage the shaft. The balls are selectively retractable from their projecting position to allow the inner cylinder to slide on and/or be removed from the shaft. Biasing members, such as wavy springs, bias the two sides of the lock mechanism towards one another. In the locked configuration, the balls are forced by inclined surfaces within the two sides to project outwardly from the inner hollow cylinder. The inclined surfaces are aligned with two rows of apertures in the inner hollow cylinder, and they are inclined in opposite directions. Thus, either way the lock mechanism is installed or placed on the shaft, the balls will project out of the apertures in the inner hollow cylinder and will securely engage the shaft.