Storage Container Door Locking Assembly with Axial Handle
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing door locking assemblies for storage containers, particularly mobile storage containers, lack efficient mechanisms to securely maintain doors in closed or open positions, often requiring complex and cumbersome operations to unlock and lock.
Innovation Solution
A locking assembly comprising a lockrod, locking cam, and handle assembly that includes a protrusion with a lateral slot, a clevis, and a lever system, allowing axial movement and preventing rotation, which is removably coupled to both the door frame and side rail, enabling secure locking and easy opening of the door.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If a traditional door locking assembly is used, then the door can be locked, but the operation becomes complex and cumbersome
Solution Approach 1:
The locking assembly is divided into distinct functional components: a handle assembly, a lockrod, and a locking cam. The handle assembly can be independently manipulated to control the lockrod's movement, which in turn actuates the locking cam. This segmentation allows for simpler individual components while maintaining overall locking functionality, reducing operational complexity.
Solution Approach 2:
Instead of using a complex multi-step locking mechanism, the invention inverts the approach by using a simple handle movement that directly translates to lockrod displacement. The locking cam's geometry is designed so that linear handle movement automatically produces the rotational or lateral motion needed for locking, simplifying the user's action from complex manipulation to simple linear movement.
2Reliability
If a secure locking mechanism is implemented, then door security is improved, but the mechanism becomes more complex
Solution Approach 1:
The lockrod serves as an intermediary component between the handle assembly and the locking cam. When the handle is moved, it displaces the lockrod, which then actuates the locking cam to engage with the door frame. This intermediary mechanism allows for secure locking through a simple linear handle movement, maintaining reliability while minimizing complexity.
Solution Approach 2:
The locking cam is designed with specific geometric features that allow it to automatically engage and disengage from the door frame based on the lockrod's position. The cam's shape creates mechanical advantage, so that the simple linear movement of the lockrod automatically produces the necessary rotational or lateral motion for secure engagement, eliminating the need for additional locking steps or complex mechanisms.
3Stability of the object's composition
If the handle assembly is firmly fixed, then structural stability is improved, but removal and maintenance become difficult
Solution Approach 1:
The handle assembly is designed to be nested within or integrated with the door structure, allowing it to be firmly fixed during normal operation. The handle can be received within a recess or channel in the door, with retaining features that provide structural stability. For maintenance, the handle can be partially extracted or disassembled from its nested position, allowing removal and repair while maintaining firm fixation during use.
Data Source
AI summary
A locking assembly for a door of a storage container is provided. The storage container defines a door frame, and the door is movably mounted to the door frame. The locking assembly may include a first keeper secured to the door frame, a first locking cam configured to movably engage the first keeper, and a handle assembly coupled to the first locking cam. The handle assembly may be movable between a first position in which the handle assembly is in contact with the door frame and the first locking cam engages the first keeper to maintain the door in the closed position relative to the door frame and a second position in which the first locking cam disengages the first keeper to allow the door to open. The first and second positions of the handle assembly illustratively define an obtuse angle therebetween.