Eccentric Metal Buckle Locking Unit for Strap Adjustment
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional backpack buckles with adjustable straps made of plastic suffer from poor lifetime, limited loading capabilities, and inconvenient operation due to their material properties and design.
Innovation Solution
A buckle design featuring a metal locking unit with an eccentric mechanism and a containment space for the strap, allowing for adjustable length through different locking positions, enhancing strength and ease of use.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of manufacture
If the buckle is made from plastic to save costs, then manufacturing cost is reduced, but lifetime and loading capabilities deteriorate
Solution Approach 1:
The buckle combines metal and plastic materials in a composite structure. The locking member is made of metal for strength and durability, while the body can be plastic for cost-effectiveness. This composite approach allows the buckle to achieve both low manufacturing cost and high reliability by assigning different materials to different functional components based on their requirements.
2Ease of manufacture
If the buckle is made from plastic to save costs, then manufacturing cost is reduced, but loading capabilities deteriorate
Solution Approach 1:
The locking member is specifically made of metal material to provide high loading capabilities and strength, while other parts of the buckle can remain plastic for cost savings. This material differentiation in the composite structure allows the buckle to承受 heavy loads through the metal locking mechanism while maintaining overall cost-effectiveness.
3Adaptability or versatility
If the locking member is designed with multiple bends to allow strap adjustment, then strap length adjustability is improved, but surface friction increases making operation inconvenient
Solution Approach 1:
The locking member is designed to rotate between a locking state and a releasing state. In the locking state, the surface is flat against the strap for secure holding. In the releasing state, the locking member rotates to create distance from the strap, reducing friction and allowing easy strap removal. This dynamic state change enables both secure locking and convenient operation.
Solution Approach 2:
The locking member is preliminarily positioned in a flat state during normal operation to maintain secure locking. When operation is needed, it rotates to a releasing state that preliminarily reduces friction before the strap can be easily removed. This preliminary positioning in different states optimizes both locking security and operational ease.
Data Source
AI summary
A buckle for adjusting a length of a strap includes a first body and a locking unit. The first body has a first body unit having a first main body surrounding a containment space, a first through hole and a second through hole disposed separately on the first main body, and a first rod disposed in the containment space. The locking unit has a columnar shape and disposed in the containment space, the locking unit further having two flat surfaces, a side surface connected between an edge of each flat surface, and a supporting aperture accepting the first rod. Each side surface further has a first curved portion, a vertical surface connected to the first curved portion at one end and a second curved portion connected to another end of the vertical surface, and a first protrusion connected to both of the first curved portion and the second curved portion.