Latching Connection Assembly With Low Join Force and Secure Release
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing connection assemblies for elongated bodies, such as structural profiles, face challenges in achieving balanced assembly and disassembly forces, with high assembly forces and low disassembly forces, which complicates the joining and separation of components.
Innovation Solution
The connection assembly features latching elements with dual movement paths, including a disassembly direction and an assembly direction, limited by stop surfaces, allowing for low assembly forces and high disassembly forces, with latching elements that are springy and oriented obliquely or perpendicularly to the plane of relative movement, enhancing holding forces and ease of assembly.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Force
If conventional latching elements are used, then assembly forces are high, but disassembly forces are low
Solution Approach 1:
The latching element features an asymmetric movement path where the assembly direction (first portion) and disassembly direction (second portion) have different characteristics. The first portion is limited by stop surfaces that prevent excessive deformation during assembly, reducing assembly forces. The second portion extends beyond the stop surfaces, allowing greater deformation and higher disassembly forces to ensure secure release. This asymmetric design resolves the contradiction by enabling low assembly forces while maintaining high holding stability.
Solution Approach 2:
The latching element is designed with elastic properties, allowing it to dynamically deform during both assembly and disassembly. During assembly, the elastic element deforms along the first portion of the movement path and is limited by stop surfaces. During disassembly, it deforms along the second portion beyond the stop surfaces. This dynamic behavior enables the system to adapt forces during operation, achieving low assembly forces while maintaining high holding stability through the elastic recovery force.
2Strength
If latching elements are made springy and oriented obliquely, then holding forces increase, but assembly complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The latching element's orientation parameter is changed from perpendicular to oblique relative to the plane of relative movement. This parameter change allows the element to engage with the latching element receptacle at an angle, generating higher holding forces through the oblique engagement geometry. The springy (elastic) property is also utilized, where the element's material parameters enable it to deform elastically during engagement and disengagement, enhancing holding force while maintaining a relatively simple monolithic structure.
3Force
If stop surfaces are provided to limit movement path, then assembly forces are reduced, but disassembly requires higher forces
Solution Approach 1:
The movement path is designed asymmetrically with respect to the stop surfaces. The first portion (assembly direction) is limited by the stop surfaces, preventing excessive deformation and reducing assembly forces. The second portion (disassembly direction) extends beyond the stop surfaces, allowing greater deformation range. This asymmetric configuration inherently creates different force requirements for assembly versus disassembly, reducing assembly forces while requiring higher disassembly forces for secure release.
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
This design allows for efficient assembly with reduced forces and increased holding stability, requiring higher disassembly forces to release the connection, ensuring secure engagement and easy detachment of elongated body components.
Implementation Method 1
Each of the latching portions is movable along a movement path starting from a non-deformed rest state
Data Source
AI summary
A connection assembly includes first and second components which, starting from a separated disassembled state, are joinable to each other along a plane of relative movement parallel to respective planes of extension of the components into an interconnected assembled state, and are transferrable back into the disassembled state. The first component has a latching element on either side of the plane of relative movement, and the second component has two latching element receptacles. In the assembled state, each of the latching element receptacles cooperates with a respective latching portion of a respective one of the latching elements. The latching portions are movable along a movement path starting from a non-deformed rest state. A first portion of the movement path pointing in a disassembly direction with respect to the rest state is limited by stop surfaces against which the respective latching elements rest in a course of disassembling the components.