Buckle Leg Damage Prevention via Movement Restriction
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing buckles require high operational forces for engagement and detachment due to the need for deep elastic deformation of holder straps, which can lead to leg damage from excessive outward deformation.
Innovation Solution
A buckle design featuring a male member with elastic legs and a female member that includes movement restricting portions to prevent outward deformation, allowing for minimal operational force engagement and detachment while preventing leg damage.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If holder straps are used to restrict leg deformation, then leg damage is prevented, but operational force increases
Solution Approach 1:
The holder strap is divided into multiple segments or links that can articulate relative to each other. This segmentation allows the strap to flex and accommodate leg deformation during normal operation with minimal resistance, while still providing restriction against excessive outward deformation that would cause damage.
Solution Approach 2:
The holder strap transitions from a static rigid structure to a dynamic articulated structure. The multiple links can move relative to each other, allowing the strap to adapt its configuration based on the leg's position and deformation state, providing low resistance during normal operation and high resistance during excessive deformation.
2Ease of operation
If legs are made highly deformable for easy engagement, then ease of operation improves, but leg damage risk increases
Solution Approach 1:
The holder strap acts as an intermediary element between the leg and the external environment. It mediates the forces acting on the leg, allowing controlled deformation during engagement while preventing uncontrolled excessive deformation that would lead to damage.
Solution Approach 2:
The holder strap changes the effective deformation parameters of the leg system. By introducing an articulated structure, it modifies the force-displacement characteristics, allowing large deformations during engagement while limiting the maximum deformation to safe levels through the geometric constraints of the articulated links.
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 buckle achieves enhanced operability and prevents leg damage during engagement and detachment by using movement restricting portions to control leg deformation, reducing the operational force required and ensuring the legs are not damaged by external forces.
Implementation Method 1
a pair of legs projected from the male base, the pair of legs being capable of an elastic deformation in a direction orthogonal to an insertion direction of the male member
Implementation Method 2
the movement restricting portions being in contact with the deformation restricting portions to restrict the legs from deforming in a direction opposite to the direction for the legs to face with each other
Data Source
Figure 1
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AI summary
A buckle includes a pair of legs (20) on a male member (A), and an engagement portion (24) provided on an end of the legs (20) that is to be engaged with an engaged portion (46) of a female member (B) in a form of a recessed groove, the engagement portion (24) being detachably engaged with the engaged portion (46) when the male member (A) is inserted into the female member (B) to a predetermined position. A guide (30) for guiding the insertion of the male member (A) is provided between the legs (20) of the male member (A). A hook-shaped movement restricting portion (25) projecting in the direction for the pair of legs (20) to face with each other is provided on an inner side of the legs (20). A deformation restricting portion (32) projecting in a form of a flange toward the leg (20) is provided to the guide (30). The movement restricting portion (25) is in contact with the deformation restricting portion (32) when the leg (20) is outwardly deformed. When the male member (A) and the female member (B) are to be engaged/detached, only an operation for elastically deforming the legs (20) is necessary, requiring a minimum operation force. Even when the leg (20) is outwardly deformed, since the movement restricting portion (25) is in contact with the deformation restricting portion (32), damage on the leg (20) can be prevented.