Buckle Lock Arm Bridges Prevent Deformation
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional buckles suffer from excessive outward bending of lock arms, leading to deformation or breakage, and difficulty in coupling and decoupling due to limited elasticity and foreign substance entrapment, which complicates manipulation and reduces the buckle's functionality.
Innovation Solution
The buckle design incorporates bridges extending from the base part to the inner surfaces of the lock arms, maintaining their elasticity and preventing excessive bending, along with a shorter guide rod and indented socket member to facilitate easy coupling and decoupling and reduce foreign substance accumulation.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If the elastic stiffness of the lock arms is increased to allow stable engagement into the openings, then the reliability of coupling is improved, but the lock arms become likely to be deformed or broken when excessively bent outward
Solution Approach 1:
The lock arm is divided into two functional zones: a resilient portion with smaller cross-sectional area that provides elasticity for engagement, and a reinforcement portion with larger cross-sectional area that prevents deformation and breakage. This segmentation allows each portion to optimize its function independently.
Solution Approach 2:
Different portions of the lock arm have different cross-sectional areas tailored to their specific functions. The resilient portion has a smaller cross-sectional area for flexibility, while the reinforcement portion has a larger cross-sectional area for strength, creating local quality variations that resolve the contradiction.
2Ease of operation
If the lock arms are made more elastic to facilitate easy coupling and decoupling, then the ease of operation is improved, but the lock arms become more susceptible to excessive outward bending and deformation
Solution Approach 1:
The lock arm is segmented into a resilient portion for elasticity and a reinforcement portion for structural integrity. The resilient portion enables easy coupling and decoupling operations, while the reinforcement portion prevents excessive bending and deformation.
Solution Approach 2:
The lock arm functions as a composite structure with two distinct portions having different cross-sectional areas, combining the properties of flexibility and strength to resolve the contradiction between ease of operation and resistance to deformation.
3Reliability
If the socket member is designed with a closed chamber structure to prevent foreign substance entry, then the reliability is improved, but foreign substances already inside become difficult to remove
Solution Approach 1:
The socket member is designed with a drainage groove that proactively channels foreign substances away from the engagement area before they can cause problems. This preliminary action prevents foreign substance accumulation while maintaining the protective chamber structure.
Solution Approach 2:
The drainage groove extracts and removes foreign substances from the chamber interior, actively taking them out through the drainage hole. This allows the chamber to remain closed for protection while providing a pathway for foreign substance removal.
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 design prevents lock arm deformation, maintains sufficient elasticity for easy coupling and decoupling, and reduces foreign substance entrapment, while also minimizing material usage and weight, thus enhancing the buckle's functionality and manufacturing efficiency.
Implementation Method 1
a pair of lock arms 105 which project from the base part 101 to be elastically coupled to the socket member 200
Data Source
AI summary
A buckle has plug and socket members which are detachably coupled to each other. The plug member having a base part, a pair of lock arms which project from the base part to be elastically coupled to the socket member, a guide rod which projects from the base part between the pair of lock arms, and bridges which extend from the base part inside the pair of lock arms and are connected to distal ends or middle portions of inner surfaces of the lock arms. The socket member have a chamber which is defined by an upper plate, a lower plate and sidewalls connecting the upper and lower plates and is open at a distal end thereof to receive the pair of lock arms and the guide rod, and engagement parts which are formed outside the chamber to allow distal end portions of the lock arms to be engaged therewith.