Cargo Box Door Locking with Cam Release and Push Closing
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing locking systems for last-mile cargo vehicles are disproportionately sized and functional, requiring excessive force to open due to vacuum and rubber resistance, and lack ease of use and quick locking mechanisms.
Innovation Solution
A locking system with a recessed base, handle, hitch, and opening means featuring a rotatable pawl and cam, allowing door locking and opening with a push mechanism, and optional electronic or key-operated blocking means for enhanced security.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If conventional locking systems with central tube and hooks are used, then the door can be locked securely, but the system becomes disproportionately large and heavy for last-mile cargo vehicles
Solution Approach 1:
The locking system is divided into separate functional components: a compact locking mechanism with individual bolts, a separate push rod actuator, and a cam-based opening assist system. This segmentation allows each component to be optimized independently, reducing overall weight while maintaining security functionality.
Solution Approach 2:
The invention extracts and eliminates the heavy central tube and hooks structure from conventional systems. Instead, it uses lighter alternative locking elements that achieve the same security function without the excessive weight and size of traditional heavy-duty locking components.
2Reliability
If conventional locking systems are used, then the door can be locked, but excessive force is required to open the door against vacuum and rubber resistance
Solution Approach 1:
The cam mechanism acts as an intermediary between the user's pushing action and the door opening process. The cam's geometric shape converts the linear push motion into a mechanical advantage that helps overcome the vacuum and rubber resistance, reducing the force needed by the user while maintaining secure locking when closed.
Solution Approach 2:
The locking system incorporates dynamic elements including the cam's rotational movement and the push rod's linear motion that actively assist in door opening. These dynamic mechanisms provide mechanical advantage during the opening process, contrasting with static conventional systems that require direct force application against vacuum pressure.
3Reliability
If manual locking operations are required, then the door can be locked, but the process becomes time-consuming and inconvenient when hands are occupied
Solution Approach 1:
The push rod mechanism enables the door to lock itself through a simple pushing motion without requiring manual manipulation of locks or keys. The system's geometry automatically engages the locking bolts when the door is pushed closed, allowing users to lock the door with their hands occupied by packages, significantly reducing locking time and improving convenience.
4Reliability
If conventional locking systems are used, then the door can be locked, but the system complexity increases with multiple components
Solution Approach 1:
The invention merges the locking actuation and opening assist functions into an integrated mechanism. The cam and push rod work together as a unified system that provides both secure locking and opening assistance, reducing the number of separate components needed compared to conventional systems that require independent mechanisms for each function.
Data Source
Figure 1~2
Figure 3~4
Figure 5~7
AI summary
Locking system for box doors of cargo vehicles, with a handle (4), and opening means (7) connected to a hitch (6) in the box profile (5). The opening means (7) have a tongue (8) connected to the handle (4) that accompanies it in its movement, a pawl (11) rotatable and actuatable by the tongue (8), and a cam (13) blockable by the pawl (11) and connectable and releasable from the hitch (6) of the box profile (5), allowing the locking and opening of the door (1). The locking system is actuated between a locking position where the pawl (11) locks the cam (13) engaged to the hitch (6) in the locking position, and an opening position where the rotation of the pawl (11) actuated by the tongue (8) releases the cam (13) from the hitch (6) of the box profile (5).