Lock Profile Strips for Sealed Bundle Connections
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing lock systems for bundles, used in packaging, transporting, and storing bulk materials, often fail to provide a secure and environmentally sealed connection, leading to potential contamination and instability during operations like emptying or filling, especially when dealing with dangerous or sensitive materials.
Innovation Solution
A lock system utilizing two profile strips with locking elements oriented transverse to the flow direction, combined with a slider that allows for environmentally sealed connections and guidance of flow between bundles, ensuring secure engagement and disengagement without vertical movement, and featuring a cost-effective design for easy assembly and disassembly.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If existing lock systems are used for bundle connections, then the structure is simple, but the connection stability and environmental sealing are insufficient
Solution Approach 1:
The lock system is divided into two separate profile strips (first profile strip and second profile strip) that can be independently manufactured and assembled. Each profile strip contains locking elements that engage with corresponding elements on the bundle, allowing the system to achieve high reliability through distributed locking mechanisms while maintaining manufacturing simplicity.
Solution Approach 2:
The first and second profile strips act as intermediary components between the bundle and the connection system. These profile strips provide the locking functionality while allowing the bundle itself to remain simple and flexible, thus improving connection stability without requiring complex modifications to the bundle structure.
2Strength
If locks are designed for secure connection, then connection strength improves, but ease of operation for docking and undocking deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The locking elements are designed to be dynamically engageable and disengageable. The first and second profile strips can be quickly connected to each other and to the bundle through simple docking movements, allowing the system to achieve both strong connections and easy operation. The profile strips can be rapidly attached and detached without complex manipulation.
3Force
If locking elements are oriented transverse to flow direction, then impulse load resistance improves, but flow channel design complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The locking elements on the first and second profile strips are specifically oriented transverse to the flow direction at the connection points where impulse loads occur. This localized orientation provides maximum resistance to impulse loads while the flow channel itself maintains a simple design that allows unrestricted flow in the flow direction, thus achieving both impulse load resistance and simple flow channel design.
4Object-affected harmful factors
If environmental sealing is enhanced, then contamination prevention improves, but manufacturing complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The profile strips are designed to work with the flexible bundle structure, utilizing the bundle's own flexible membrane or skin to provide environmental sealing. The first and second profile strips create mechanical interlocking connections that maintain the integrity of the flexible shell, allowing the sealing function to be achieved through the combination of simple profile strip structures and the existing flexible bundle material, thus preventing contamination without adding manufacturing complexity.
Data Source
AI summary
A lock system includes a first lock and a second lock each with two profile strips operable for engagement with an at least partially flexible bundle and effective to enable a connection of a first bundle with a second bundle in a closed docking position and for guidance of a flow in a flow direction through lock members from the first bundle into the second bundle in an open docking position. The second bundle provides the lock members facing toward the first bundle, which lock members in the open docking position engage the lock members of the first bundle and jointly with the lock members of the first bundle form a flow channel for flow in the flow direction. Additionally, a slider for connecting and separating such locks is provided.