Foldable Bassinet Hinge Locking Mechanism for Simplified Storage
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional play yards with bassinets are unnecessarily large and have complex folding and unfolding procedures, making them inconvenient for storage.
Innovation Solution
A bassinet locking mechanism with a first hinge component, a second hinge component, and a locking hub component, along with a resilient component, allows for easy folding and unfolding by constraining or allowing relative rotation between the components using teeth engagement and a pull wire mechanism, facilitated by a bassinet releasing mechanism that utilizes a pull wire and releasing component.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If a conventional play yard with bassinet is used, then the bassinet can be supported and installed, but the apparatus is unnecessarily large and has complicated folding and unfolding procedures
Solution Approach 1:
The bassinet apparatus is divided into separable components including a foldable bassinet, a play yard, and a connection module with distinct locking and releasing mechanisms. This segmentation allows each component to be independently optimized and simplified, reducing overall system complexity while maintaining functionality.
Solution Approach 2:
The locking and releasing functions are extracted as separate, dedicated mechanisms rather than being integrated into the main structural components. The locking mechanism includes a locking hub component with teeth that engage with hinge components, while the releasing mechanism uses a pull wire system. This extraction simplifies the folding operation by providing dedicated, easy-to-operate controls.
2Volume of moving object
If the bassinet apparatus is designed to be foldable for storage, then storage convenience is improved, but the locking and releasing mechanisms become more complex
Solution Approach 1:
The locking hub component is designed to be received within and nested against the hinge components when locked. The third tooth of the locking hub engages with teeth on the first and second hinge components, creating a compact nested configuration that secures the bassinet to the play yard while minimizing overall volume and simplifying the locking structure.
Solution Approach 2:
The pull wire acts as an intermediary mechanism that transmits the releasing force from the user's action to the locking hub component. By using this intermediary element, the complex task of disengaging the locking teeth is simplified into a single pulling motion, reducing operational complexity while enabling secure locking and easy releasing.
3Stability of the object's composition
If the locking hub component is designed to constrain rotation for locking modes, then stability is improved, but the mechanism for allowing rotation for folding becomes more complex
Solution Approach 1:
The connection module is designed with dynamic characteristics that allow it to automatically transition between locked and unlocked states based on the relative positions of the bassinet and play yard. The resilient component provides automatic engagement force, and the geometric arrangement of the teeth and locking hub creates inherent stability in the locked position while allowing easy release when the bassinet is moved to the folded position.
Solution Approach 2:
The locking mechanism is designed to self-lock when the bassinet is properly positioned on the play yard. The resilient component automatically pushes the locking hub component into engagement with the hinge teeth, and the geometry of the teeth arrangement ensures that proper alignment automatically secures the connection without requiring additional locking actions from the user.
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
Enables simple and convenient operation for folding and unfolding the bassinet apparatus, minimizing volume for storage by allowing easy engagement and disengagement of the locking hub component with the hinge components.
Implementation Method 1
a resilient component disposed between the first hinge component and the locking hub component. A resilient recovering force of the resilient component is used to move the locking hub component toward the second hinge component.
Implementation Method 2
An end of a pull wire disposed inside the tube is jointed with the locking hub component, and the locking hub component is pulled by a releasing component via the pull wire
Data Source
AI summary
A foldable bassinet apparatus includes a bassinet locking mechanism and a bassinet releasing mechanism. The bassinet releasing mechanism is used to actuate the bassinet locking mechanism. The bassinet locking mechanism includes a first hinge component, a second hinge component, an outer capping component and a locking hub component. The second hinge component is rotatably connected to the first hinge component. The outer capping component is rigidly connected to the second hinge component and configured to cap the first hinge component. The locking hub component is slidably located between the first hinge component and the outer capping component. The locking hub component is fully retracted into the first hinge component to allow relative rotation between the first hinge component and the second hinge component, and is further partially protruded from the first hinge component to constrain the relative rotation.