Interlocking Attachment System With Barb Portions
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
The MOLLE-compatible attachment systems often experience unintended withdrawal of strap or coupling elements from accessories or carrier materials due to their design, leading to instability and reconfiguration issues.
Innovation Solution
The interlocking attachment system incorporates a unitary body with interface apertures and locking apertures, featuring upturned corner portions and barb portions on the attachment elements, which resist withdrawal forces by engaging with the locking aperture's corners, ensuring secure attachment and resistance to removal.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If MOLLE-compatible attachment systems use simple strap or coupling elements for accessory attachment, then the device complexity is reduced and ease of manufacture is improved, but the reliability deteriorates due to unintended withdrawal of straps from accessories or carrier materials
Solution Approach 1:
The attachment element is divided into distinct functional segments: a body portion for insertion, a neck portion with reduced width, and barb portions that engage with the locking aperture. This segmentation allows each portion to perform its specific function in resisting withdrawal forces while maintaining overall system reliability.
Solution Approach 2:
The attachment element employs asymmetric geometry with barb portions that are configured to engage with the locking aperture in one direction but resist withdrawal in the opposite direction. The neck portion has a reduced width that creates a mechanical lock, making insertion easy but removal difficult without proper actuation.
2Reliability
If MOLLE-compatible attachment systems use simple strap designs, then the ease of operation is improved for quick attachment, but the reliability worsens due to instability and reconfiguration issues from unintended strap withdrawal
Solution Approach 1:
The attachment element is pre-configured with barb portions and a neck portion that will automatically engage with the locking aperture upon insertion. This preliminary configuration ensures that the attachment is inherently secure from the start, preventing unintended withdrawal without requiring additional user actions during operation.
3Ease of manufacture
If the attachment element uses a unitary body with integrated locking features, then the device complexity is reduced compared to multi-component systems, but the manufacturing precision requirements increase to ensure proper engagement of barb portions with locking apertures
Solution Approach 1:
The attachment element combines multiple functions into a single unitary body: the body portion for insertion, the neck portion for mechanical locking, and the barb portions for engagement with the locking aperture. This merging eliminates the need for separate components and assembly steps, simplifying manufacturing despite the precision required for the integrated features.
Data Source
AI summary
An interface portion having at least one locking aperture defined by a top wall and an opposing bottom wall and a pair of opposing, substantially equal length, parallel side walls, and wherein an upturned corner portion is defined between the top wall and each of the parallel side walls; and at least one attachment element extends from the interface portion, having attachment element notches formed in opposing side portions defining a neck portion, wherein the attachment element notches define barb portions, wherein at least a portion of the at least one attachment element is positionable through the locking aperture such that the neck portion is positionable within the locking aperture, and wherein if a withdrawing force is applied to the attachment element a portion of the barb portions engages a portion of at least one of the upturned corner portions to aid in resisting the withdrawing force.