Latch Translation Guide for Wear and Leakage 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 skewing, which causes friction, wear, and leakage issues, particularly in aircraft applications where minimal material usage and weight are crucial.
Innovation Solution
Incorporating a translation guide, such as a Kamiscio guide made from copper-nickel-tin alloy, that is shrunk-fit into the lock receptors to maintain alignment and prevent skewing, thereby reducing wear and leakage by ensuring proper alignment of the lock's central axis with the actuator and receptor axes.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Weight of moving object
If a bushing is designed to withstand static or rotational loads with minimal material usage, then weight and material usage are reduced, but alignment precision and wear resistance deteriorate when the lock translates through misaligned openings
Solution Approach 1:
A translation guide is introduced as an intermediary component between the misaligned openings to establish a common alignment reference. The translation guide's first opening aligns with the first lug opening, and its second opening aligns with the second lug opening, mediating the misalignment and enabling precise lock positioning without requiring heavier bushings
Solution Approach 2:
The patent changes the geometric parameters of the translation guide, specifically the offset distance between its two openings, to match the misalignment between the lug openings. This parameter adjustment allows the translation guide to compensate for misalignment while maintaining lightweight construction
2Device complexity
If the lock central axis skews from alignment during translation, then the simplicity of the latch system is maintained, but wear and leakage increase due to undesired forces and friction
Solution Approach 1:
The translation guide serves as a mediator that guides the lock's translation path, preventing axis skewing and misalignment. By providing aligned openings that the lock translates through, it ensures proper alignment without adding complex adjustment mechanisms to the latch system
Solution Approach 2:
The translation guide is pre-installed in the latch system to establish the correct alignment path before the lock translation occurs. This preliminary alignment structure prevents wear and leakage issues during operation without requiring complex real-time adjustments
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 inhibits wear and leakage, maintaining the integrity of the latch system components and reducing maintenance costs by ensuring consistent alignment and reducing friction, thus enhancing the reliability and efficiency of the latch system.
Implementation Method 1
Incorporating a translation guide, such as a Kamiscio guide made from copper-nickel-tin alloy, that is shrunk-fit into the lock receptors
Data Source
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AI summary
A manufacture configured to and process for inhibiting, from wear, a lock (102) in a latching system comprising: a gland (106) surrounding an actuator (104) translating the lock through: a first fixed lock receptor and a moveable lock receptor. The manufacture and process include: inhibiting a skewing, of a lock central axis (118) of the lock with the lock translating through the first opening (123) and the opening (122) in the moveable lock receptor, away from substantially aligning with: a first central axis (121) of a first opening (123) of the first fixed lock receptor, and an actuator central axis (116) of the actuator, via fitting a first translation guide (610) into the first fixed lock receptor. Also included is inhibiting: wear of a gland around an actuator 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.