Hosting Pliers With Four-Bar Linkage For Adjustable Torque
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Solution Overview
Problem
Hand-held pliers often face challenges such as uncomfortable or damaged handles, insufficient force transfer, fixed length and orientation, and lack of locking mechanism, which limit their usability in various applications.
Innovation Solution
A hosting pliers tool with a pressure loading box assembly and pivot joints that attaches to and manipulates a separate principal use pliers, providing adjustable force transmission, dynamic orientation, and locking capabilities through a four-bar linkage assembly.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If hand-held pliers are used with fixed structure, then manufacturing is simple, but grip comfort and force transfer are insufficient
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements a nested structure where the principal use pliers are housed within the hosting pliers. The hosting pliers contain a receiver assembly that accommodates the principal use pliers, creating a nested configuration where one tool set is contained within another. This nesting approach improves grip comfort by providing a larger, more ergonomic handle structure while maintaining manageable complexity through modular integration.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent divides the pliers system into separate functional modules: the hosting pliers with receiver assembly, the principal use pliers, and a four-bar linkage assembly. This segmentation allows each component to be optimized independently - the hosting pliers for ergonomic grip, the principal use pliers for specialized function, and the linkage for force transmission - while improving overall ease of operation without proportionally increasing complexity.
2Adaptability or versatility
If pliers have fixed length and orientation, then manufacturing is simple, but adaptability to different applications is limited
Solution Approach 1:
The patent incorporates a four-bar linkage assembly that enables dynamic adjustment of the pliers' effective length and orientation. The linkage connects the hosting pliers to the principal use pliers, allowing the user to modify the working distance and angle according to different application requirements. This dynamic mechanism significantly enhances application adaptability while the linkage design keeps the added complexity manageable through systematic engineering.
Solution Approach 2:
The hosting pliers with receiver assembly and four-bar linkage create a universal platform that can accommodate various principal use pliers and perform multiple functions. The system can be configured for different working lengths, angles, and force transmission requirements, making it adaptable to diverse applications including cutting, gripping, and manipulation tasks without requiring multiple specialized tools.
3Duration of action of stationary object
If pliers lack locking mechanism, then structure is simple, but force transfer sustainability is insufficient
Solution Approach 1:
The four-bar linkage assembly is pre-configured to engage and lock at specific positions during the pliers' operation cycle. As the pliers close on a workpiece, the linkage automatically transitions into a locked configuration that maintains force transmission. This preliminary design of the linkage geometry enables self-locking behavior that ensures sustained force transfer without requiring additional complex locking components.
Data Source
AI summary
A pliers tool (01) includes a hosting pliers that attaches to and manipulates a separate, principal use pliers (02) wherein the hosting pliers has as a first receiver and a first retainer as facilitated by a PLBA (50) that is connected to a first frontward ply (24a). The PLBA (50) is configured to receive and retain to a ply assembly of the hosting pliers a handle of the principal use pliers (02).