Latch Translation Guide for Lock Alignment and Wear Control
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Solution Overview
Problem
Latch systems with moveable lock receptors experience wear and leakage due to misalignment of central axes, leading to undesired forces and friction, which cause skewing and subsequent wear on components, including the lock, lugs, and bushings, resulting in inefficiency and increased maintenance costs.
Innovation Solution
A translation guide is shrunk-fit into the fixed lock receptor to maintain alignment of the lock's central axis with the actuator and receptor axes, preventing skewing and wear by providing stability and guidance against forces from the moveable lock receptor, thereby inhibiting friction and leakage.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Strength
If a bushing is designed to withstand static or rotational loads in a shear plane, then the bushing can handle expected design loads from the lock and lug during use, but the bushing experiences undesired forces and wear when the lock translating through a moveable lug impinges a part of the moveable lug or bushing whose central axis may not be in exact alignment
Solution Approach 1:
A translation guide is introduced as an intermediary component between the lock and the moveable lug. The translation guide's central axis is substantially aligned with the actuator central axis, and it guides the lock's translation while absorbing misalignment forces from the moveable lug, preventing these forces from acting directly on the bushing and lock surfaces.
Solution Approach 2:
The alignment and guidance function is extracted from the bushing and assigned to a dedicated translation guide component. This allows the bushing to focus on its primary function of withstanding shear loads, while the translation guide handles the misalignment and guiding functions separately.
2Adaptability or versatility
If the central axis of a moveable lug does not exactly align with the central axis of a fixed lug and the lock during translation, then the latch system can accommodate moveable components, but undesired forces and wear occur upon the lock and moveable lug surfaces causing the lock central axis to skew
Solution Approach 1:
The translation guide serves as a mediator that accepts the misalignment from the moveable lug and provides a substantially aligned path for the lock's central axis. The translation guide's central axis is designed to be substantially aligned with the actuator central axis, ensuring reliable alignment even when the moveable lug is not perfectly aligned.
Solution Approach 2:
The translation guide is designed to be movable relative to the moveable lug, allowing it to dynamically accommodate misalignment while maintaining guidance of the lock. This dynamic capability allows the system to adapt to varying alignment conditions during operation.
3Ease of operation
If a lock translates through openings in lugs with a clearance that allows translation, then the lock can move between latched and unlatched positions, but the clearance must be tight enough to control produce desired connection and load transfer
Solution Approach 1:
The translation guide acts as an intermediary that provides precise guidance for the lock's translation. It maintains a controlled clearance that allows smooth translation while ensuring accurate positioning and proper load transfer, eliminating the need for tight clearances between the lock and lug openings.
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
The solution effectively reduces wear and leakage, maintaining the integrity of the latch system components, enhancing the reliability and reducing maintenance needs, and minimizing operational interruptions.
Implementation Method 1
A translation guide is shrunk-fit into the fixed lock receptor
Data Source
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AI summary
A manufacture configured to and process for inhibiting, from wear, a lock in a latching system comprising: a gland (106) surrounding an actuator (104) translating the lock (102) through: a first fixed lock receptor (602) and a moveable lock receptor (604). The manufacture and process include: inhibiting a skewing, of a lock central axis (116) of the lock with the lock translating through the first opening and the opening in the moveable lock receptor, away from substantially aligning with: a first central axis of a first opening of the first fixed lock receptor, and an actuator central axis of the actuator, via fitting a first translation guide into the first fixed lock receptor. Also included is inhibiting: wear of a gland (106) around an actuator (104) in the lock while translating, and leaking, past the gland, of an actuator fluid within the lock; and skewing of an actuator central axis of the actuator.