Bolt Snap Safety Attachment for Accidental Gate Opening
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Solution Overview
Problem
Bolt snaps, including swivel bolt snaps, are prone to accidental and unintentional opening due to weak or degraded compression coil springs, leading to potential safety issues such as animals becoming unleashed or objects falling, despite previous attempts to address this flaw failing to maintain quick single-handed operation and low manufacturing costs.
Innovation Solution
A safety attachment with a convex outer surface, integral top and bottom rings, a hollow center cavity, and flexible elastic material that extends beyond the release button to prevent incidental contact and increases the force required to open the bolt-action gate, while being easily retrofittable and maintaining single-handed operation.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If a weak compression coil spring is used in the bolt snap, then the device can be easily operated and manufactured, but the bolt-action gate becomes prone to unintentional opening due to insufficient resistance against centripetal forces and incidental contact
Solution Approach 1:
A safety attachment acts as an intermediary component between the user's finger and the release button. This attachment includes a protective protrusion that extends beyond the release button to prevent incidental contact, and a safety finger tab that requires deliberate user action to press, thereby mediating between easy operation and preventing unintentional opening
Solution Approach 2:
The safety attachment performs preliminary protective action by physically blocking incidental contact with the release button before such contact can occur. The protective protrusion extends beyond the release button to intercept potential accidental contacts, and the safety finger tab is positioned to require deliberate pressing action, preventing unintentional activation before it can happen
2Reliability
If the compression coil spring is made stronger to prevent unintentional opening, then reliability improves, but the operation becomes more difficult and requires more force
Solution Approach 1:
The safety attachment segments the operation into two distinct actions: (1) pressing the safety finger tab to disengage the safety mechanism, and (2) pressing the release button to open the gate. This segmentation allows the spring to remain weak while the safety mechanism provides the additional resistance needed to prevent unintentional opening
3Reliability
If additional safety mechanisms are added to prevent unintentional opening, then reliability improves, but the device complexity and manufacturing cost increase
Solution Approach 1:
The safety attachment merges multiple safety functions into a single integrated component: (1) the protective protrusion that prevents incidental contact, (2) the safety finger tab that requires deliberate action, and (3) the hollow cavity that accommodates the bolt snap shaft. This merging provides comprehensive safety protection without the complexity of multiple separate safety mechanisms
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
Effectively prevents unintentional opening by enhancing the resistance to centripetal forces and incidental contact, ensuring safety without compromising the quick operation or increasing manufacturing complexity, thus addressing the long-standing issue of bolt snap reliability.
Implementation Method 1
The body, and its integral top ring, bottom ring and finger tabs, may be constructed from a durable, flexible, elastic material such that, when the safety attachment is fitted on the bolt snap, it can deform in response to pressure on the release button, to permit motion of the release button and bolt action gate
Data Source
AI summary
In one embodiment, a safety attachment for a bolt snap (e.g., a swivel bolt snap) is provided that prevents unintentional opening of a bolt action gate. The safety attachment includes a body with an integral top ring, an integral bottom ring, and a hollow center cavity. The body may have a convex outer surface that extends beyond a release button of the bolt action gate. The integral top ring may contact the release button. The integral bottom ring may prevent movement of the safety attachment along a shaft of the bolt snap. The hollow center cavity may accommodate the shaft of the bolt snap. The body and its integral top ring and bottom ring may be constructed of a durable, flexible, elastic material that can, in response to pressure on the release button, permit motion of the release button and bolt action gate while increasing the force required.