Latch Mechanism With Slide Blocks And Carriages
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing latch mechanisms for containers require a substantial amount of force to move the latch plate from a latched to an unlatched position, making them cumbersome to operate.
Innovation Solution
A latch mechanism featuring a latch rail with pivotally mounted components, including a pawl lever and an actuator assembly comprising slide blocks and carriages, which allows the latch plate to be easily moved to an unlatched position with minimal force by lateral movement of the carriages, facilitated by smooth, low-friction materials and user-friendly finger tabs.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If a handle is directly connected to components that open the latch plate, then the latch plate can be moved to an unlatched position, but a substantial amount of force is required to pivot the handle
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces slide blocks and carriages as intermediary components between the handle and the latch plate. The slide blocks move within cavities in the latch rail, and the carriages move within openings in the latch rail, transferring the handle's motion through multiple intermediate steps. This intermediary mechanism reduces the force required to open the latch plate by distributing the mechanical advantage across multiple components rather than a direct connection.
Solution Approach 2:
The latch mechanism is divided into multiple functional segments: the handle, slide blocks, carriages, and latch plate. Each component performs a specific function in the sequence of motion. The slide blocks and carriages act as separate functional elements that break down the overall opening action into smaller, more manageable steps, reducing the peak force required at any single moment.
2Ease of operation
If the latch mechanism uses traditional direct connection components, then the structure is simpler, but the ease of operation is reduced due to high force requirements
Solution Approach 1:
The slide blocks and carriages serve as intermediary components that reduce the force transmitted to the latch plate. The slide blocks move within cavities and the carriages move within openings, creating a mechanical advantage that reduces the force required to initiate and complete the unlatching action.
Solution Approach 2:
The mechanism employs dynamic motion sequences where the slide blocks and carriages move laterally within their respective cavities and openings during the unlatching process. This dynamic movement allows the force to be applied more efficiently through the sequence of motions rather than requiring high peak force at a single moment.
Data Source
AI summary
A latch mechanism is provided for securing the lid of a container in a closed position having actuator components that facilitate latching and unlatching of a latch plate of the latch mechanism.