Cargo Container Fastener With Planar Engaging Element
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Solution Overview
Problem
The existing fasteners for cargo containers with spherical engagement elements have a small contact area between the engagement element and the toothed part, which compromises the fastening effect.
Innovation Solution
A fastener design featuring a mounting seat with a central through-hole and retaining recesses, a threaded shaft with angularly displaced teeth, and an engagement unit with urging members and engaging elements that have flat and curved contact surfaces to increase the contact area with the toothed part, allowing for enhanced arrest and release of rotation.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Device complexity
If a spherical engagement element is used, then the fastener structure is simple, but the contact area between the engagement element and the toothed part is small
Solution Approach 1:
The patent transitions from a spherical engagement element to a substantially planar engagement element with a curved leading end. The curved leading end maintains some curvature characteristics for smooth engagement while the planar body provides a larger contact area with the toothed part, resolving the contradiction between structural simplicity and contact area.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent changes the geometric parameters of the engagement element from a complete sphere to a planar shape with a curved leading end. This parameter change increases the contact area with the toothed part while maintaining the fastener's functional simplicity through the urging member mechanism.
2Ease of manufacture
If a spherical engagement element is used, then the fastener is easy to manufacture, but the fastening effect is compromised
Solution Approach 1:
The curved leading end of the planar engagement element allows for smooth engagement with the toothed part while the planar body provides enhanced contact area, improving the fastening effect without significantly complicating the manufacturing process.
Solution Approach 2:
By changing the engagement element from spherical to planar with a curved leading end, the patent improves the fastening effect through increased contact area while maintaining ease of manufacture through the simple geometric modification and standard urging member components.
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 enlarged contact area between the engaging elements and the toothed part significantly improves the fastening effect by ensuring secure engagement and easy disengagement, enhancing the overall securing mechanism for cargo containers.
Implementation Method 1
an urging member that is mounted in the retaining recess in the mounting seat, and an engaging element that is mounted in the retaining recess in the mounting seat, that is urged by the urging member
Implementation Method 2
The free end portion of the engaging element has a flat contact surface that extends in the tangential direction and the axial direction, and that extends into the central through-hole in the mounting seat to abut against the contact surface of an adjacent one of the teeth of the toothed part in such a manner to arrest rotation of the mounting seat relative to the second fastener component in a first direction
Implementation Method 3
The free end portion of the engaging element further has a curved contact surface that extends curvedly from the flat contact surface such that the curved contact surface is in sliding contact with the contact surfaces of the teeth of the toothed part one by one
Data Source
AI summary
A fastener for securing a cargo container includes: a first fastener component including a pair of rails; amounting seat mounted slidably on the rails; a second fastener component including a toothed part extending into the a central through-hole in the mounting seat and formed with teeth, each of which has a contact surface; and an engagement unit including an engaging element that is mounted in a retaining recess in the mounting seat and that has a free end portion extendable into the central through-hole in the mounting seat. The free end portion of the engaging element has a flat contact surface that extends into the central through-hole to abut against the contact surface of an adjacent one of the teeth in such a manner to arrest rotation of the mounting seat relative to the second fastener component in a direction.