Cap Flap Linkage With Adjustable Guide Pin for Stable Locking

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Solution Overview

Problem

Existing cap opening and closing devices experience instability and unreliable performance due to the rocker arm swaying or shifting when fitted to guide grooves with bumps or unevenness, affecting the rotation and extension/retraction of the rotary pin.

Innovation Solution

The introduction of a slidable pin and adjusting component that fits to the guide groove, allowing for precise adjustment and stable positioning, preventing the rocker arm from swaying and ensuring effective rotation, extension, and retraction of the rotary pin, even with uneven groove bottoms.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Ease of manufacture

If the rocker arm is fitted to the guide groove with bumps or unevenness, then the device can be manufactured with simple structure, but the rocker arm sways or shifts causing unreliable performance

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveguide groove manufacturing simplicityVSAvoidrocker arm stability
Core Design Contradiction:
Ease of manufactureVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

The patent introduces an adjusting component as an intermediary element between the rocker arm and the guide groove. This adjusting component compensates for the bumps or unevenness in the guide groove, allowing the rocker arm to maintain stable positioning without requiring high manufacturing precision of the guide groove itself.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

Solution Approach 2:

The patent employs an adjusting component that can change its position or dimension to adapt to variations in the guide groove. By adjusting the position of the adjusting component, the system compensates for manufacturing tolerances and unevenness, maintaining reliable rocker arm operation despite simple guide groove manufacturing.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #35Parameter changes

2Ease of manufacture

If the rocker arm sways or shifts due to guide groove unevenness, then manufacturing can be simplified, but the rotation and extension/retraction of the rotary pin become ineffective

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveguide groove manufacturingVSAvoidrotary pin operation efficiency
Core Design Contradiction:
Ease of manufactureVSProductivity

Solution Approach 1:

The adjusting component serves as a mediator that isolates the rotary pin mechanism from the instability caused by guide groove unevenness. By positioning the adjusting component between the rocker arm and guide groove, it prevents sway and shift from transmitting to the rotary pin, ensuring effective rotation and extension/retraction operations.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

Solution Approach 2:

The adjusting component dynamically adapts its parameters (position, orientation) to compensate for guide groove variations, ensuring that the rotary pin maintains its operational efficiency regardless of manufacturing imperfections in the guide groove.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #35Parameter changes

3Reliability

If the rocker arm is made rigid to prevent swaying, then performance reliability improves, but the device complexity increases

Engineering Contradiction:
Improverocker arm stabilityVSAvoidoverall mechanism complexity
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

Rather than making the entire rocker arm mechanism more rigid and complex, the patent introduces a relatively simple adjusting component as a mediator. This localized addition provides the necessary stability without requiring fundamental redesign or reinforcement of the entire rocker arm structure.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

Solution Approach 2:

The patent separates the stability function from the main rocker arm structure by introducing a distinct adjusting component. This segmentation allows the rocker arm to remain relatively simple while the adjusting component specifically addresses the stability issue, avoiding unnecessary complexity in the overall mechanism.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #1Segmentation

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

This solution provides a stable structure and reliable performance by ensuring the rocker arm remains aligned, maintaining the integrity of the cap opening and closing mechanism, and preventing the cap from being opened or closed inadvertently.

Implementation Method 1

a first elastic component, configured to push a rotary pin out of the mounting box

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectElastic force: Elasticity

Implementation Method 2

the adjusting component includes a second elastic component configured to push the slidable pin toward the guide groove

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectElastic force: Elasticity

Data Source

PatentEP4209374B1Flap opening and closing device, and vehicle having same
Publication Date: 2025.01.08 BYD CO LTD
  • EP4209374B1 patent drawingFigure 1
  • EP4209374B1 patent drawingFigure 2
  • EP4209374B1 patent drawingFigure 3

AI summary

A cap opening and closing device (1) includes a mounting box (100); a locking pin, rotatably and retractably mounted to the mounting box (100); a guide block (400), mounted to the mounting box (100), and provided with a guide groove (410) thereon; a rocker arm (500), rotatably mounted to the mounting box (100), having one end fitted to the rotary pin (200), and the other end provided with a pin hole (510); a slidable pin (600), movably fitted in the pin hole (510) along the axial direction of the pin hole (510); and an adjusting component (700), arranged at the other end of the rocker arm (500) and connected to the slidable pin (600), where the adjusting component (700) is configured to adjust the position of the slidable pin (600) in the pin hole (510), and the slidable pin (600) is adjusted by the adjusting component (700) to fit to the guide groove (410) and slide along the guide groove (410).