Pivoting Cam Buckle Lock for Easier Webbing Adjustment
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Solution Overview
Problem
Traditional cam buckles lack an efficient mechanism for easy webbing adjustment and locking, which complicates the process of securing objects to various surfaces.
Innovation Solution
A cam buckle design featuring a pivotable cam arm with teeth and bosses, biased by a deflectable member, allowing for easy transition between unlocked and locked positions, facilitating webbing engagement and disengagement for secure tensioning.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If traditional cam buckle design is used, then the structure is simple, but the webbing adjustment and locking process is complicated
Solution Approach 1:
The cam arm is made pivotable relative to the body, allowing it to dynamically transition between unlocked and locked positions. This dynamic element enables the cam arm to rotate about a pivot axis, facilitating easy webbing adjustment while maintaining a relatively simple overall structure.
Solution Approach 2:
The deflectable member acts as an intermediary element that biases the cam arm toward the unlocked position. This mediator component simplifies the locking mechanism by automatically returning the cam arm to its initial position, reducing the complexity of manual operation while improving ease of adjustment.
2Reliability
If a pivotable cam arm with bosses is added, then the locking reliability is improved, but the number of moving components increases
Solution Approach 1:
The cam arm combines multiple functions into a single component: it has teeth for engaging the webbing, bosses for engaging the slots, and it pivots about an axis. This merging of functions into one moving part improves locking reliability without significantly increasing the number of separate components.
Solution Approach 2:
The cam arm serves multiple purposes: it engages the webbing with its teeth, locks into position with its bosses fitting into slots, and provides automatic return through the deflectable member. This multi-functionality improves reliability while keeping the device complexity manageable.
3Ease of operation
If the cam arm is biased in unlocked position, then the ease of webbing engagement is improved, but the force required to maintain locked position increases
Solution Approach 1:
The deflectable member automatically biases the cam arm toward the unlocked position, making webbing engagement easier without requiring manual intervention. This self-service mechanism reduces the force needed for engagement while the geometric relationship between the boss and slot maintains the locked position when engaged.
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
Enables straightforward webbing adjustment and locking, enhancing the security and usability of the cam buckle by simplifying the process of securing objects while maintaining the traditional number of moving components.
Implementation Method 1
a deflectable member biasing the cam arm in the unlocked position
Data Source
AI summary
Provided is a cam buckle including a body having at least one slot, and a cam arm movably coupled to and pivotable relative to the body. The cam arm has teeth for engaging a webbing and at least one boss for engaging the at least one slot. The cam arm is biased in an unlocked position where the teeth are configured to engage the webbing, and the cam arm is movable to a locked position where the teeth are configured to be disengaged from the webbing and the at least one boss is held in the at least one slot.