Spring-Biased Carabiner Sleeve Against Accidental Opening
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing carabiners are prone to accidental opening due to external forces such as wind or vibrations, posing safety risks in applications where secure connections are critical.
Innovation Solution
A carabiner design featuring a sleeve that can be selectively positioned to prevent involuntary pivoting of the lever, using a mechanical member like a spring to maintain the sleeve in a secure position, ensuring it surrounds the frame and prevents accidental opening.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If the sleeve is made movable on the lever to allow selective positioning, then the ease of operation is improved, but the reliability deteriorates due to accidental movement
Solution Approach 1:
The mechanical member (spring) applies a preliminary counteracting force to the sleeve in the closed position, creating resistance against accidental opening forces such as wind or vibrations. This preliminary anti-action ensures that the sleeve remains securely in place during normal operation while still allowing deliberate user action to open the carabiner.
Solution Approach 2:
The spring constant and preload force of the mechanical member are optimized to provide sufficient resistance against accidental opening while maintaining ease of deliberate operation. By carefully selecting these parameters, the design achieves both reliability during normal use and operational ease when intentionally opened.
2Reliability
If the mechanical member applies force to prevent sleeve movement, then the reliability is improved, but the ease of operation deteriorates due to additional resistance
Solution Approach 1:
The mechanical member provides dynamic resistance that adapts to the operational state: during normal operation, the spring maintains strong engagement to prevent accidental opening; during deliberate opening, the user's applied force overcomes the spring resistance, and the sleeve moves smoothly to the open position. This dynamic behavior resolves the contradiction between reliability and ease of operation.
Solution Approach 2:
The spring applies partial resistance during normal operation (sufficient to prevent accidental opening but not excessive to hinder deliberate operation). The force is calibrated to provide just enough engagement to ensure reliability while allowing easy override when intentionally opened by the user.
3Reliability
If the connection elements are disengaged in the second position, then the reliability is improved by preventing accidental closure, but the device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The connection elements are nested within the sleeve structure, with the lever connection element and sleeve connection element fitting together in a compact arrangement. This nesting approach prevents accidental engagement while maintaining a relatively simple overall device structure, as the connection mechanism is integrated into the existing sleeve and lever components rather than adding separate complex systems.
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 enhances safety by making it difficult for the carabiner to open accidentally, requiring deliberate user action to disengage the sleeve, thus improving security in safety-critical systems.
Implementation Method 1
a mechanical member configured for applying a force to the sleeve for avoiding an involuntary movement of the sleeve, the force directed towards the second position
Data Source
Figure 1~2
Figure 3~4
AI summary
The invention relates to a carabiner (2), comprising a frame (20) having an engagement end (22) and a pivoting end (24) therebetween defining an opening (4); a lever (40) having a top end (44) and an lever connection element (46), the lever (40) pivotably coupled to the pivoting end (24) and configured to be pivoted between an open and a closed position for the engagement end (22) and top end (44) to detachably engage; a sleeve (60) mounted movably on the lever (40) and having a sleeve connection element (66) corresponding to the lever connection element (46), wherein said threads (46, 66) are configured to move the sleeve (60) along the lever (40) sectionally between a first position and a second position, and said threads (46, 66) are disengaged in the second position; and a mechanical member (80) configured for applying a force to the sleeve (60) for avoiding an involuntary movement of the sleeve (60); wherein the sleeve (60) surrounds at least a part of the top end (44) in the second position.