Clamp Handle Stop Mechanism for Anti-Pinch Safety
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional clamps can cause hand injuries when the clamping opening accidentally slides or detaches from a workpiece due to uncontrolled closure.
Innovation Solution
A clamp design featuring a pivot mechanism with a stop mechanism that prevents the handles from closing completely, maintaining a gap to prevent hand injury, by incorporating protruding stop mechanisms and anti-pinch flanges made of elastic materials.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If the clamp is designed without a stop mechanism, then the clamping force can be maximized, but the handles may close completely and cause hand injury when the clamping opening slides or detaches from a workpiece
Solution Approach 1:
The stop mechanism is designed to preemptively prevent the handles from closing completely by providing a mechanical barrier before complete closure can occur. The protruding stop on one handle engages with the recessed stop on the other handle, creating a predetermined gap that stops the closing motion before it can injure the user's hand.
Solution Approach 2:
The stop mechanism acts as an intermediary element between the two handles, introducing a physical barrier that mediates the closing motion. This intermediary structure (protruding stop and recessed stop) transfers and limits the force between handles, preventing direct contact that would cause injury.
2Object-generated harmful factors
If a stop mechanism is added to prevent handle closure, then hand injury risk is reduced, but the clamping force and tightening capability are limited
Solution Approach 1:
The stop mechanism is designed to be dynamic rather than static - it allows free movement during normal operation and only engages when the predetermined gap is reached. The protruding stop moves freely within the recessed stop during tightening, then engages to prevent further closure, providing adaptability to different operating conditions.
Solution Approach 2:
The stop mechanism implements partial action by allowing the handles to close to a predetermined point (the gap) rather than completely blocking closure. This partial engagement provides sufficient safety margin to prevent injury while maintaining adequate clamping force for normal operation, without excessively limiting the tightening capability.
Data Source
AI summary
A clamp includes a first clamp body and a second clamp body, which intersect and are fastened by a pivot mechanism, form a jaw opening at one end of a pivot mechanism, and have respective handles at the other end of the pivot mechanism. A stop mechanism is disposed on the first clamp body and an anti-pinch flange is disposed at a position, corresponding to the protruding stop mechanism, on the second clamp body to prevent the two handles of the first clamp body and the second clamp body from further closing.