Folding Canopy Central Locking Mechanism Gap-Free Stability
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing folding tent locking mechanisms often suffer from clearance gaps during cooperation, leading to instability and limited locking functionality due to recess and notch designs, requiring multiple people to assemble and disassemble larger tents.
Innovation Solution
A central locking mechanism featuring a top disk, lower disk, and lock lever with a tilting lock plate and elastic member, where the lock plate's locking hole tilts to a hole-tilted position for frictional contact with the lock lever, enabling limitless locking without gaps and enhancing stability.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Device complexity
If recess and notch designs are used for locking, then the locking mechanism can be simple in structure, but clearance gaps occur during cooperation leading to instability
Solution Approach 1:
The lock plate is designed to be tiltable rather than fixed, allowing it to dynamically adjust its position. The locking hole on the lock plate can tilt to align with the lock lever, eliminating clearance gaps. This dynamic adjustment resolves the contradiction by maintaining simple structure while achieving stable, gap-free locking through motion-based alignment.
Solution Approach 2:
The orientation parameter of the locking hole is changed from fixed to variable. By allowing the lock plate to tilt, the angle and position of the locking hole can be adjusted to match the lock lever precisely. This parameter change eliminates clearance gaps and improves locking stability without complicating the overall mechanism.
2Device complexity
If fixed latch structure is used, then the locking position is determined, but limitless locking function cannot be realized
Solution Approach 1:
The lock plate's tilting capability enables the locking hole to achieve multiple positioning states. Instead of a fixed latch structure with predetermined locking positions, the dynamic tilting mechanism allows the locking hole to align with the lock lever at various angles, realizing limitless locking functions while keeping the latch structure simple.
Solution Approach 2:
The locking function is segmented into multiple possible positions through the tilting motion of the lock plate. Each tilt angle represents a potential locking position, allowing the system to achieve versatile locking capabilities without requiring a complex multi-component latch structure.
3Productivity
If multiple people are used to fix leg tubes, then larger tents can be assembled, but the number of people needed increases with tent size
Solution Approach 1:
The central locking mechanism merges the locking functions for multiple leg tubes into a single centralized system. By controlling the lock plate and lock lever at the center, one person can simultaneously secure multiple leg tubes, eliminating the need for multiple people to work together and making large tent assembly as easy as small tent assembly.
Solution Approach 2:
The central locking mechanism acts as an intermediary that translates a single operating action into simultaneous locking of multiple leg tubes. The lock plate and lock lever serve as mediators that distribute the locking force and control to all surrounding leg tubes, allowing one person to assemble large tents without increasing physical effort.
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 solution provides a gap-free locking mechanism with improved stability and convenience, allowing for easy operation and secure deployment of folding canopies without the need for multiple people, especially for larger tents.
Implementation Method 1
an elastic member for tilting the locking hole in the lock plate to a hole-tilted position
Implementation Method 2
a wall of the locking hole is in frictional contact with a side wall of the lock lever, the central locking mechanism completes locking
Data Source
AI summary
The present invention relates to a folding canopy with central locking mechanism, including a central locking mechanism including a top disk, a lower disk and a lock lever. The lower disk includes a locking unit for engaging with the lock lever, and the locking unit includes a lock plate and an elastic member. The lock plate is provided therein with a locking hole, and the lock lever is used to penetrate the locking hole. The elastic member is used for tilting the locking hole in the lock plate to a hole-tilted position. When the locking hole is tilted to the hole-tilted position and a wall of the locking hole is in frictional contact with a side wall of the lock lever, the central locking mechanism completes locking.