Hinge Support Locking Lug for Secure Cover Plate Retention
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing hinge holders for cover plates on hobs allow accidental levering out of the rotatable component during cursory handling, leading to unintended disengagement from its anchorage.
Innovation Solution
Incorporating a locking lug into the bearing groove on the open end, which interacts with a torsion spring to prevent unintentional release by allowing movement only when torsional forces are absent, and using a rectangular bearing pin with locking lugs on both sides for enhanced security.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If a bearing groove with a locking lug is provided to prevent accidental levering out, then the reliability of the hinge connection is improved, but the device complexity increases due to additional structural elements
Solution Approach 1:
The bearing groove is segmented into functional zones: an insertion path section and a bearing section, with the locking lug positioned at the transition. This segmentation allows the groove to provide both easy insertion and secure retention without requiring a completely different structural design.
Solution Approach 2:
The locking lug acts as an intermediary element between the bearing groove and the bearing journal. It provides the necessary retention function by abutting against the bearing journal when torsional forces are present, without requiring complex locking mechanisms.
2Reliability
If the bearing pin is held firmly in the bearing groove to prevent disengagement, then the reliability is improved, but the ease of operation for lifting and cleaning deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The retention mechanism is made dynamic through the interaction between the locking lug and the bearing journal under torsional loading. The locking lug only engages when torsional forces are present (during normal use), and disengages automatically when torsional forces are removed (during cleaning), providing conditional retention.
Solution Approach 2:
The system exploits changes in the torsional force parameter to control the engagement state of the locking lug. When torsional force > 0, the locking lug engages with the bearing journal; when torsional force = 0, the locking lug releases, allowing easy removal for cleaning.
3Reliability
If a torsion spring is added to provide self-locking during rotation, then the reliability is improved, but the device complexity and manufacturing cost increase
Solution Approach 1:
The hinge mechanism is designed to be self-locking through the passive interaction between the locking lug and the bearing journal. The torsional forces generated during normal operation automatically engage the locking lug, providing self-locking without requiring active control systems or additional power sources.
Solution Approach 2:
The invention extracts the essential self-locking function from complex spring mechanisms and achieves it through the geometric arrangement of the locking lug and bearing groove. The locking action is derived from the operational torsional forces themselves rather than from separate elastic elements.
4Reliability
If the bearing groove is closed to prevent levering out, then the reliability is improved, but the ease of manufacture deteriorates due to more complex machining requirements
Solution Approach 1:
The bearing groove is segmented into an open insertion path section and a closed bearing section. This segmentation allows for simple open-end machining that facilitates easy insertion while the locking lug provides the necessary retention function that would otherwise require a fully closed groove.
Solution Approach 2:
Instead of closing the bearing groove to achieve retention, the invention inverts the approach by providing an open groove with a locking lug that actively engages the bearing journal. This inversion simplifies manufacturing while achieving the same retention effect.
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
Ensures the cover plate remains securely anchored during normal use and can only be lifted off when torsional forces are removed, specifically in the vertical open position for cleaning, preventing accidental disengagement and providing a self-locking mechanism.
Implementation Method 1
the bearing pin with an exciting during the turning process of the component from a first position into a second position Torsion spring is connected
Data Source
Figure 1~2
AI summary
The hinge holder (7) for a component that can be rotated about a hinge axis (17), such as a cover plate for a hob, has a bearing groove (10) open on one side, into which a bearing pin (11) of the hinge axis (17) can be freely inserted with play and this bearing groove (10) is positively held against torsional forces (P) acting on the bearing journal (11). According to the invention, the bearing groove (10) at the open end, at least on the groove side (18) on which the torsional forces act via the part of the bearing journal (11) facing the open end when the component is in the non-moving and/or moving state, into the insertion path of the bearing groove (10) upstanding locking lug (19).