Elastic Locking Arms for Gas Cylinder Protective Rings
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional gas cylinder base rings made of high-strength steel cause damage to surfaces and rust due to friction and weight, with existing protective devices being complex to manufacture, difficult to handle, and prone to detachment.
Innovation Solution
A protective ring with elastic locking arms, manufactured via injection molding, easily attaches to the gas cylinder base ring, providing secure fit and protection against mechanical stress and corrosion, using materials like polyalkylenes.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If a protective device is added to the gas cylinder base ring, then the base ring is protected from damage and surfaces are protected from rust, but the device becomes complex to manufacture and difficult to handle
Solution Approach 1:
The protective ring is made from a single piece of flexible plastic material that can be injection molded into the final shape. The material's flexibility allows the ring to be elastically deformed during installation and to accommodate variations in base ring dimensions, while maintaining structural integrity and protection functionality throughout its service life.
Solution Approach 2:
The protective ring incorporates multiple independent locking arms that can engage with different features on the base ring simultaneously. This segmentation allows each locking arm to independently secure the protective ring in place, providing redundant attachment points that enhance reliability without requiring complex assembly procedures.
2Reliability
If existing protective devices are used, then some protection is provided, but they repeatedly become detached due to bumping into edges and friction with the surface
Solution Approach 1:
The locking arms are designed with elastic flexibility that allows them to dynamically adapt to mechanical stresses during handling. When the gas cylinder is bumped or dragged, the locking arms can elastically deform to absorb impact forces and maintain engagement with the base ring, preventing detachment while requiring minimal user effort for installation and removal.
3Reliability
If the protective ring has multiple locking arms, then the fit is secure under mechanical stress, but the structure becomes more complex
Solution Approach 1:
The protective ring integrates multiple locking arms, lateral notches, and the main ring body into a single injection-molded component. This merging of functions into one piece eliminates the need for separate manufacturing and assembly steps for each feature, reducing manufacturing complexity while maintaining the secure multi-point attachment provided by the multiple locking arms.
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
The protective ring effectively prevents damage to both the gas cylinder base ring and surfaces while ensuring easy installation and durability, suitable for domestic use.
Implementation Method 1
The elasticity of the locking arms ensures a secure hold on the base ring of a gas cylinder, even under mechanical stress, such as when moving the gas cylinder on a hard surface or when it hits an edge.
Data Source
Figure 1
Figure 2~3
Figure 4~5
AI summary
Protective ring for the standing ring (2) of a gas bottle, wherein the standing ring (2) has a peripheral wall (4) which is connected to the gas bottle via fastening elements (5), with a base surface (6) of which the inner side is intended to receive the standing ring (2) of a gas bottle, with a wall (7) extending around the base surface (6) on the outside and intended to bear against the wall (4) of the standing ring of a gas bottle, and with a plurality of locking elements for locking the protective ring (1) on the standing ring (2) of a gas bottle, characterized in that the locking elements are elastic latching arms (9, 10) which are flanked on both sides by incisions (11) in the protective ring (1).