Portable Container Telescopic Handle Locking Mechanism

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Solution Overview

Problem

Existing portable containers with telescopic handles face accidental extraction issues when heavily loaded, leading to unintended handle movement and user safety concerns, as the weight causes deformation of the lever and tooth disengagement, which is exacerbated by increased rigidity attempts to prevent this.

Innovation Solution

The portable container incorporates a mechanism with protrusions and recesses along the handle's path, preventing accidental deformation by mechanically locking the handle in place when not actively being extended, using a deformable tongue and slot system with protrusions that align to prevent accidental deformation under weight, ensuring the handle remains secure.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Strength

If the rigidity of the lever is increased to prevent deformation under weight, then the lever can maintain its shape and prevent accidental tooth disengagement, but it becomes more difficult for the user to voluntarily deform the lever to extract the handle

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvelever rigidityVSAvoidhandle extraction effort

Core Design Contradiction:

StrengthVSEase of operation

Solution Approach 1:

The lever is divided into two distinct parts: a rigid support structure that maintains overall stability, and a flexible tongue element that can be easily deformed. This segmentation allows the support to prevent accidental deformation under weight while the tongue remains compliant for user operation.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

Different parts of the lever have different rigidity characteristics. The support structure is made rigid to prevent accidental disengagement, while the tongue is made flexible to allow easy user deformation. This local differentiation of mechanical properties resolves the contradiction between strength and ease of operation.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #3Local quality

2Ease of operation

If the lever is made more flexible to allow easy voluntary deformation for handle extraction, then the user can easily deactivate the locking system, but the lever may deform accidentally under the weight of the container and objects inside

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvehandle extraction effortVSAvoidlocking system stability

Core Design Contradiction:

Ease of operationVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

The lever is segmented into a rigid support and a flexible tongue. The rigid support ensures reliability by preventing accidental deformation under load, while the flexible tongue maintains ease of operation for voluntary handle extraction.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

The tongue acts as an intermediary element between the user's manual force and the tooth-slot locking mechanism. It transmits the user's deformation action to disengage the tooth from the slot, while the rigid support prevents unwanted deformation from container weight.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

3Reliability

If a tooth-slot locking mechanism is used to prevent handle extraction, then the handle can be securely locked in the minimum protrusion configuration, but the mechanism may accidentally disengage when the container is heavily loaded

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvehandle locking reliabilityVSAvoidaccidental handle extraction

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSObject-affected harmful factors

Solution Approach 1:

The locking mechanism is segmented into a rigid support structure and a flexible tongue. The rigid support prevents accidental disengagement by maintaining the overall lever geometry under load, while the tooth-slot mechanism provides secure locking when engaged.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

The design converts the potential harm of lever deformation under weight into a benefit by using the rigid support to prevent deformation. The support structure absorbs the stress from heavy loading, preventing the tooth from disengaging from the slot accidentally.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #22Blessing in disguise (Convert harm into benefit)

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 effectively prevents accidental extraction of the telescopic handle even when the container is heavily loaded, ensuring user safety and ease of voluntary handle extension, while maintaining low costs and using common materials.

Implementation Method 1

a tooth integrally engages a sort of lever that can be activated by elastic deformation: the deformation causes the disengagement of the tooth from the slot

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectElastic deformation: Elasticity

Data Source

PatentUS11363867B2Portable container

Publication Date: 2022.06.21 G T LINE

AI summary

A portable container, of the type of a trolley, suitcase, trunk, crate, and the like, includes at least one outer shell, for delimiting at least one accommodation compartment for objects in general, and an extractable handle, which can move between a minimum protrusion configuration, in which the handle is arranged in a respective seat, and at least one maximum protrusion configuration, in which the handle is extracted from the seat. The container includesat least one protrusion that protrudes from the edge of a slot and provided along the handle at least one respective recess provided on a tooth that contrast free movement of the handle.