Quick Release Coupling Cage Body Wear Reduction
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing quick disconnect couplings face issues with wear, unreliable transmission of locking pressure, and indeterminate release force due to surface pressure and friction, leading to reduced operational reliability and increased production costs.
Innovation Solution
The design incorporates locking shoes with a radially directed elastic restoring force, which hold locking elements captive and allow for defined release, avoiding friction surfaces and wear, with a holding edge that adjusts the release force accurately and a spring accumulator for automatic unlocking.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If a rubber-elastic retaining sleeve acts directly on locking balls as an intermediate retaining means, then the locking connection is held, but the retaining sleeve is subject to particular wear under pressure deformation and temperature influence, impairing function and service life
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces a cage body as an intermediary component that houses the locking balls and provides guiding surfaces. The cage body transfers forces between the locking balls and the retaining sleeve, reducing direct contact and wear. The cage body's structured design with radial guiding surfaces ensures proper alignment and distribution of loads, preventing concentrated stress on the retaining sleeve while maintaining reliable locking.
2Reliability
If locking balls are supported on a movable holding sleeve, then the locking connection is maintained, but considerable specific surface pressure arises leading to wear and undesirable change in holding power
Solution Approach 1:
The patent transitions from a single-point or line contact between locking balls and the holding sleeve to a distributed areal contact. The cage body provides radial guiding surfaces that distribute the contact area, reducing specific surface pressure. The locking balls are guided radially by the cage body structure rather than relying solely on axial contact with the holding sleeve, spreading the load across multiple contact zones.
3Ease of operation
If a minimum axial stroke corresponding to ball diameter is required to bring locking balls into alignment with escape space, then unlocking is achieved, but a relatively large release range for the release force results
Solution Approach 1:
The patent employs spring-loaded locking balls that dynamically adjust their position. The springs allow the locking balls to be compressed axially and then released, providing a controlled, repeatable motion sequence. This dynamic mechanism ensures that the axial stroke required for unlocking is consistent and minimal, while the spring force compensates for variations in release force application, narrowing the release force tolerance range.
4Object-affected harmful factors
If locking elements with circular ring segment shape are used to achieve form fit with reduced surface pressure, then the shape must be specially adapted, but the clutch disengagement trigger range remains undesirably indeterminate
Solution Approach 1:
The patent incorporates springs that provide continuous force feedback on the locking balls. The spring force ensures that the locking balls maintain consistent contact with the cage body guiding surfaces and the holding sleeve. This feedback mechanism creates a deterministic unlocking sequence where the release force requirement is well-defined and repeatable, eliminating the indeterminate trigger range while maintaining reduced surface pressure through the specialized locking element geometry.
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 reduces wear, ensures precise and reliable release with minimal tolerance, and allows for cost-effective production of quick disconnect couplings with improved operational reliability and defined triggering forces.
Implementation Method 1
the locking elements can be radially displaced in the cage body between the locking position and the release position... the locking elements are held in this locking position by means of the holding body... the locking elements blocking axial relative movement
Implementation Method 2
A quick disconnect coupling with overload protection... a spring accumulator with an adjustable spring force... causing automatic unlocking, which is set up with a predetermined holding force generated by it
Data Source
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AI summary
The coupling has an intermediate holding unit (75) arranged and aligned between locking elements (74) and a holding body (73) such that the holding body holds the elements in a locking position indirectly by the holding unit. The holding unit is radially avertable with respect to the elements that are formed by balls. The holding body has a holding edge (731) performing an indirect holding function. The holding edge laminarly surrounds the holding unit in an axial direction for locking, and releases the holding unit for releasing the locking by a holding device of a releasing device.