Joint Bar Lock Structure With Thickened Sides for Lightweight Security

Solution Overview

Problem

Joint bar locks, particularly those used for two-wheelers, face a challenge in achieving high security against break-ins while maintaining a lightweight and stable design, as reducing material for weight often compromises structural integrity and security.

Innovation Solution

A joint bar arrangement with thickened longitudinal sides and a reduced central region, featuring an H-shaped cross-section, provides enhanced stability and security through rivet joints and disk elements that protect against external access, while using less material.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Weight of moving object

If material is reduced to decrease weight, then weight is reduced and ease of carrying is improved, but structural integrity and security against break-ins deteriorate

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveweight of joint bar lockVSAvoidstructural integrity against break-ins

Core Design Contradiction:

Weight of moving objectVSStrength

Solution Approach 1:

The joint bar features non-uniform cross-sectional design with thickened longitudinal sides at specific locations (end sections and central regions) while maintaining thinner sections elsewhere. This local quality variation provides enhanced strength and break-in protection at critical areas while reducing overall material usage and weight in less critical regions.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #3Local quality

Solution Approach 2:

The joint bar employs a composite structural design combining different geometric configurations (H-shaped cross-section with thickened sides, I-shaped cross-section with central thickening) within a single component. This composite approach optimizes the distribution of material to achieve both weight reduction and enhanced security against break-ins.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #40Composite materials

2Weight of moving object

If material is reduced to decrease weight, then weight is reduced, but stability of joint bars deteriorates

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveweight of joint bar lockVSAvoidstability of joint bars

Core Design Contradiction:

Weight of moving objectVSStability of the object's composition

Solution Approach 1:

The joint bar features non-uniform cross-sectional design with thickened longitudinal sides at specific locations (end sections and central regions) while maintaining thinner sections elsewhere. This local quality variation provides enhanced strength and break-in protection at critical areas while reducing overall material usage and weight in less critical regions.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #3Local quality

Solution Approach 2:

The joint bar is pre-formed with optimized thickened sections at critical locations during manufacturing. This preliminary action of pre-positioning material at critical stress points ensures stability and resistance to break-in attempts before the lock is put into service, rather than adding reinforcement later.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #10Preliminary action

3Reliability

If joint connections are secured against being broken-open, then security is improved, but device complexity increases

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvesecurity of joint connectionsVSAvoidcomplexity of joint bar arrangement

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The joint bar features non-uniform cross-sectional design with thickened longitudinal sides at specific locations (end sections and central regions) while maintaining thinner sections elsewhere. This local quality variation provides enhanced strength and break-in protection at critical areas while reducing overall material usage and weight in less critical regions.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #3Local quality

Solution Approach 2:

The invention combines multiple functions into the joint bar structure itself: the thickened longitudinal sides serve both as structural reinforcement and as integrated protection against break-in attempts. This merging eliminates the need for separate protective elements, thereby reducing overall device complexity while maintaining enhanced security.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #5Merging (Combining)

Data Source

PatentUS12534938B2Joint bar arrangement for a joint bar lock and a joint bar lock

Publication Date: 2026.01.27 ABUS AUGUST BREMICKER SOEHNE KG

AI summary

A joint bar arrangement for a joint bar lock comprises a plurality of joint bars connected to one another in series according to a defined sequence, including a first joint bar and a last joint bar according to the sequence, each extending along a longitudinal extent from a first end section to a second end section, and each joint bar, with the exception of the last joint bar, is coupled with its second end section via a respective joint connection to the first end section of the subsequent joint bar according to the sequence, in such a way that it can be pivoted relative to the subsequent joint bar about a joint axis of the respective joint connection which is orthogonal to its longitudinal extent. Each of the joint bars is bound with respect to a transverse extent, orthogonal to its longitudinal extent and to the joint axis of the respective joint connection, by two opposite longitudinal sides which are thickened, at least in sections, namely, at least insofar as it is not the first joint bar, in the entire first end section of the respective joint bar and, at least insofar as it is not the last joint bar, in the entire second end section of the respective joint bar, the longitudinal sides are thickened insofar that they have a greater expanse in a direction parallel to the joint axis of the respective joint connection than an in-between central region of the respective joint bar.