Folding Lock Bracket Snap-Fit Assembly
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Existing joint locks face challenges in cost-effective production and simple assembly, particularly in ensuring precise and secure positioning of the locking mechanism within the lock body, due to the need for large openings for manual adjustment of combination locking mechanisms, which complicates assembly and increases the risk of improper alignment.
Innovation Solution
A holder for the locking mechanism is introduced, which is fixed within the lock body using a latching connection, allowing the locking mechanism to be inserted and positioned externally before being secured within the housing, providing tolerance compensation and facilitating assembly through elastic materials and a cage-like design that accommodates manufacturing deviations.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If the lock body has large openings to allow manual adjustment of code rings, then the combination locking mechanism can be adjusted, but the manufacturing cost increases and assembly becomes more complex
Solution Approach 1:
The lock body is divided into a housing and a separate bracket component. The bracket is inserted into the housing through a snap-fit connection, allowing the locking mechanism to be assembled separately and then integrated into the final product. This segmentation simplifies manufacturing and assembly while maintaining the functionality of code ring adjustment through access openings.
Solution Approach 2:
The bracket is extracted as a separate component from the housing, allowing it to be manufactured independently and then assembled into the lock body. This extraction enables simpler manufacturing processes for each component and facilitates easier assembly and disassembly of the locking mechanism.
2Ease of manufacture
If the locking mechanism is inserted into the housing, then the lock body can be assembled, but precise positioning is difficult to ensure
Solution Approach 1:
The bracket serves as an intermediary component between the locking mechanism and the housing. It provides a standardized interface with positioning elements that ensure accurate placement of the locking mechanism within the housing. The snap-fit connection between the bracket and housing maintains this precise positioning while allowing for easy assembly.
3Volume of moving object
If the lock body is made compact, then the overall size is reduced, but the installation of the locking mechanism becomes more difficult
Solution Approach 1:
The bracket is nested within the housing, with the locking mechanism integrated into the bracket structure. This nested arrangement allows the components to be space-efficiently organized, maintaining a compact overall size while providing adequate space within the bracket for the locking mechanism components and their assembly.
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
This solution enables cost-effective production and simplified assembly by allowing the locking mechanism to be precisely positioned without manual handling, ensuring secure operation and enhanced durability against mechanical stress, while maintaining the compactness and robustness required for securing two-wheelers.
Implementation Method 1
A bracket for the locking mechanism is located inside the housing, secured within the housing by a snap-fit connection
Implementation Method 2
the bracket can simply consist of a frame structure and/or be made of an elastic material
Data Source
Figure 1
Figure 2
Figure 3
AI summary
A hinged lock comprises a lock body, which has a housing containing a locking mechanism, and a hinged bar with several pivotally connected hinged bars and a locking bar, wherein the locking bar can be selectively locked to the lock body by means of the locking mechanism. The locking mechanism is at least partially held in a bracket, which is fixed in the housing by means of a snap-fit connection.