Exercise Bar Connector Assembly with Spring-Loaded Pin Lock
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Existing multi-segmented exercise bars suffer from unstable connections that loosen under repetitive stress and strain, leading to wobbliness and potential disassembly during use, posing safety risks.
Innovation Solution
A connector assembly featuring a female end portion with a connector sleeve, channel, locking well, and female threaded portion, combined with a male end portion having a male threaded portion and a spring-loaded pin locking mechanism, provides a secure and stable connection between exercise bar segments.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If a hammered roll pin connection assembly is used to join exercise bar segments, then the bar can be assembled into multiple segments for convenient shipping and distribution, but the connection becomes unstable and wobbly under repetitive stress and strain from heavy weights
Solution Approach 1:
The exercise bar is divided into multiple segments that can be connected and disconnected as needed, allowing the bar to be configured in different lengths and arrangements. Each segment includes connection features (male and female ends with threaded portions and locking mechanisms) that enable reliable joining while maintaining the ability to separate segments for storage or transport.
Solution Approach 2:
The connection assembly includes pre-formed threaded portions and locking mechanisms that are prepared in advance during manufacturing. The male threaded portion inserts into the female threaded portion before the locking mechanism engages, ensuring proper alignment and secure connection are established before full loading occurs.
2Strength
If a hammered roll pin connection assembly is used, then the bar segments can be joined together, but the connection fails when subjected to repetitive stress and strain from additional weights
Solution Approach 1:
The locking mechanism features a movable locking element (such as a spring-loaded pin or movable block) that can dynamically adjust to accommodate load variations. The locking element engages with the locking well and maintains continuous contact under repetitive stress, preventing loosening over time while allowing for thermal expansion and minor dimensional variations.
Solution Approach 2:
The connection assembly uses an intermediary locking mechanism between the male and female threaded portions. This intermediary component (locking element, pin, or block) mediates the connection by engaging with both the male and female threads, distributing loads, and preventing direct stress concentration that would cause failure of the threaded portions themselves.
3Ease of manufacture
If holes on bar segments are not machined precisely, then manufacturing cost is reduced, but it becomes difficult to insert the roll pin and assemble the exercise bar
Solution Approach 1:
The connection design incorporates tolerance compensation features that provide partial engagement even when holes are not perfectly aligned. The male threaded portion can be inserted at slight angles, and the locking mechanism can accommodate minor misalignments, reducing the need for precision hole machining while still enabling reliable assembly.
Solution Approach 2:
The locking mechanism acts as an intermediary that facilitates alignment during assembly. The locking element can be manually positioned or spring-loaded to guide the male and female threaded portions into proper alignment, making the assembly process more forgiving of manufacturing tolerances and easier to perform correctly the first time.
4Reliability
If a secure locking mechanism is implemented to prevent disassembly, then connection stability is improved, but the assembly and disassembly process becomes more complex
Solution Approach 1:
The locking mechanism is designed to be self-locking, where the locking element automatically engages with the locking well when the male and female threaded portions are joined. The spring-loaded pin or movable block self-positions and self-locks without requiring additional tools or complex assembly steps, maintaining simplicity while ensuring secure connection.
Solution Approach 2:
The locking function is extracted as a separate, dedicated component (locking element, pin, or block) that can be independently manufactured and assembled. This separation allows the locking mechanism to be optimized for security while keeping the overall connection assembly relatively simple, as the locking component can be pre-assembled onto the male or female end before final connection.
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 connector assembly ensures a strong and secure connection that withstands repetitive stress and strain, reducing the risk of accidents due to disassembly during use, while also allowing for easy assembly and disassembly for portability and storage.
Implementation Method 1
a spring-loaded pin having a pin head and a spring body connected to the pin head
Data Source
AI summary
A connector assembly for an exercise bar having two or more pieces or segments. A first bar segment can include a female end portion. The female end portion has a connector sleeve having a channel extending at least partially through the connector sleeve; a locking well; and a female threaded portion formed along a portion of an inside wall of the channel. A second bar segment can include a male end portion. The male end portion has a male threaded portion and a pin lock.