Link Bracelet Tool-Free Assembly via Segmented Locking Member
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing link bracelets require tools for assembly and disassembly, and the reliability of clip-in locking members can be unreliable over time, prone to breaking or dislodging under shock.
Innovation Solution
A link bracelet design featuring side links with holes for arbors and central links with housings, where arbors have grooved portions cooperating with locking members held by screws, allowing for easy assembly and adjustment without tools, and an O-ring seal to prevent play between links.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If clip-in locking members are used to assemble links, then assembly is simpler, but reliability deteriorates as they may break or dislodge under shock
Solution Approach 1:
The locking member is divided into two functional parts: a tab portion that engages with the grooved arbor and a screw portion that secures the tab in place. This segmentation allows the locking mechanism to combine simple engagement with secure retention, resolving the contradiction between ease of assembly and reliability.
Solution Approach 2:
The tab portion of the locking member is preliminarily positioned by manual clipping onto the grooved arbor, enabling easy assembly. The screw is then used to secure this preliminary positioning, ensuring reliability. This two-stage process resolves the contradiction by separating the ease-of-assembly function from the reliability function.
2Strength
If tools are required for assembly and disassembly, then connection strength is improved, but ease of operation deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The assembly process is segmented into two distinct operations: tool-free manual clipping of the tab portion for ease of operation, and screw tightening for enhanced connection strength. This segmentation allows each operation to optimize for its specific function, resolving the contradiction between strength and ease of operation.
Solution Approach 2:
The tab portion acts as an intermediary element between the user and the arbor connection. It provides a manual clipping interface for easy assembly while being secured by the screw to ensure strong connection. This intermediary resolves the contradiction by mediating between tool-free operation and strong connection.
3Reliability
If press-fit pins are used to assemble links, then connection reliability is improved, but device complexity and manufacturing difficulty increase
Solution Approach 1:
The complex press-fit pin mechanism is extracted and replaced with a simpler locking member consisting of a tab and screw. The tab provides the connection function while the screw provides the securing function, eliminating the need for complex press-fit mechanisms and reducing overall device complexity while maintaining reliability.
Solution Approach 2:
The locking member design allows the tab to self-align and self-engage with the grooved arbor through manual clipping, eliminating the need for complex alignment mechanisms. The screw then simply secures this self-aligned position, reducing device complexity while ensuring reliable connection.
Data Source
AI summary
A link bracelet includes two rows of side links forming the edges of the bracelet and at least one row of central links arranged between the side links, wherein the side links each include at least two through holes in the inner face thereof facing the central links and the central links are traversed by at least two housings. The bracelet includes arbors inserted into each of the holes in the side links, the head of the arbors being fitted into the housings of the central links and each having a grooved portion in proximity to the end thereof, and the central links include an opening giving access to the grooved portions, which are arranged to cooperate with a locking member designed to be inserted into the openings in the central links to maintain the assembly of the bracelet.