Hinged Joint Locking Guide for One-Handed Folding Frames
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Existing hinged joints for self-supporting structures like tents and umbrellas are complex, expensive, and difficult to use, requiring two hands to lock and unlock, which complicates the folding and unfolding process, and they lack cost-effective and lightweight solutions for easy assembly and disassembly.
Innovation Solution
A hinged joint design featuring an inner and outer housing connected by a hinge pin within an arc-shaped guide, with locking and unlocking guide parts that allow for one-handed operation, reducing pressure on the joint and eliminating the need for mechanical assists, using a simple and cost-effective design with fewer moving parts.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If self-locking joints with many parts are used to maintain frame integrity, then the joint strength and reliability are improved, but the device complexity and manufacturing cost increase
Solution Approach 1:
The joint is divided into two separate housing members (first housing and second housing) that connect frame members, with the hinge pin and guide parts integrated into these housings. This segmentation allows each component to have a specific function while reducing the total number of separate parts compared to traditional multi-component locking joints.
Solution Approach 2:
The hinge pin, hinge pin guide, and housing structures are merged into an integrated assembly where the first and second housings form a unified connection mechanism. The hinge pin serves multiple functions: it acts as a pivot, a connector, and works with the guide parts to provide both locking and unlocking functionality, eliminating the need for separate locking mechanisms.
2Stability of the object's composition
If traditional locking joints are used to hold frame members securely, then the joint stability is improved, but the ease of operation deteriorates as two hands are required to lock and unlock
Solution Approach 1:
The joint mechanism is designed to automatically lock and unlock through its own structure without requiring external assistance. The hinge pin, when pushed against the hinge pin guide, automatically engages the locking position or unlocking position, allowing a single user to operate the joint by simply applying force in the desired direction without needing a second hand to manipulate separate locking components.
Solution Approach 2:
The joint transitions between static locked and unlocked states through dynamic movement of the hinge pin along the arc-shaped hinge pin guide. The guide parts (first guide part and second guide part) create natural stopping positions that provide stable locked states while allowing smooth transition between states through continuous motion, enabling easy one-handed operation.
3Strength
If robust hinged joints are used to maintain frame integrity during use, then the joint strength is improved, but the ease of manufacture and cost-effectiveness deteriorate
Solution Approach 1:
The hinge pin and housing structure serve multiple functions simultaneously: they provide structural strength to maintain frame integrity, enable rotational movement between frame members, provide automatic locking and unlocking mechanisms, and guide the motion through the arc-shaped hinge pin guide. This multi-functionality reduces the need for additional specialized components, simplifying manufacturing and reducing costs.
Solution Approach 2:
The joint design uses simple, easily manufacturable components with straightforward geometries (housings, pins, and guide parts) that can be produced cost-effectively through standard manufacturing processes. The design accepts that these components may need replacement over time but optimizes for low initial manufacturing cost and ease of production, making the overall structure more cost-effective.
4Reliability
If complex locking mechanisms are used to secure frame members, then the reliability of locking is improved, but the productivity and speed of assembly deteriorate
Solution Approach 1:
The hinge pin guide is pre-configured with the arc-shaped geometry and guide parts positioned to automatically guide the hinge pin into the correct locked or unlocked position during movement. This preliminary arrangement of the guide structure ensures that when the user applies force to move the joint, the locking or unlocking action occurs automatically without requiring additional steps or manual manipulation of separate locking components, thereby increasing assembly speed while maintaining reliability.
Data Source
AI summary
A hinged joint is described for connecting an outer housing frame member to an inner housing frame member, the hinged joint comprising an outer housing associated with the outer housing frame member, the outer housing having an elongate seat disposed between opposing side walls, and a hinge pin supported by each of said side walls; an inner housing associated with an inner housing frame member, the inner housing being at least partially receivable on the elongate seat of the outer housing, the hinge pin being operatively locatable in a hinge pin guide of the inner housing, the hinge pin guide having a locking guide part and an unlocking guide part, wherein movement of the outer housing is in association with movement of the hinge pin in the hinge guide of the inner housing. Frames comprising a plurality of frame members connected by the hinged joint are also described.